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Migration Overseas
Migration Overseas
Category-Based Selection

Understanding Category-Based Draws

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses category-based selection to invite candidates with specific skills, training, or language ability. Below are the current categories.

French-Language Proficiency
Eligibility: Must have French-language test results showing a minimum score of NCLC 7 in all 4 language abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).
Healthcare and Social Services Occupations
Eligibility: Have at least 6 months of continuous full-time work experience (within the last 3 years) in one of the listed occupations, in Canada or abroad.
Occupation NOC Code
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
Specialists in surgery 31101
General practitioners and family physicians 31102
Veterinarians 31103
Dentists 31110
Optometrists 31111
Audiologists and speech language pathologists 31112
Pharmacists 31120
Dieticians and nutritionists 31121
Psychologists 31200
Chiropractors 31201
Physiotherapists 31202
Occupational therapists 31203
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating 31209
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors 31300
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses 31301
Nurse practitioners 31302
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 31303
Licensed practical nurses 32101
Paramedical occupations 32102
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 32103
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians 32104
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment 32109
Dental hygienists and dental therapists 32111
Medical laboratory technologists 32120
Medical radiation technologists 32121
Medical sonographers 32122
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 32123
Pharmacy technicians 32124
Other medical technologists and technicians 32129
Massage therapists 32201
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 33101
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates 33102
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants 33103
Social workers 41300
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 41301
Social and community service workers 42201
STEM Occupations
Eligibility: Have at least 6 months of continuous full-time work experience (within the last 3 years) in one of the listed occupations, in Canada or abroad.
Occupation NOC Code
Architecture and science managers 20011
Cybersecurity specialists 21220
Civil Engineers 21300
Mechanical Engineers 21301
Electrical and electronics engineers 21310
Industrial and manufacturing engineers 21321
Geological Engineers 21331
Civil engineering technologists and technicians 22300
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians 22301
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians 22310
Insurance agents and brokers 63100
Trade Occupations
Eligibility: Have at least 6 months of continuous full-time work experience (within the last 3 years) in one of the listed occupations, in Canada or abroad.
Occupation NOC Code
Construction estimators 22303
Cooks 63200
Construction managers 70010
Home building and renovation managers 70011
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 72100
Sheet metal workers 72102
Welders and related machine operators 72106
Electricians (except industrial and power system) 72200
Industrial electricians 72201
Plumbers 72300
Gas fitters 72302
Carpenters 72310
Cabinetmakers 72311
Bricklayers 72320
Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 72400
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics 72401
Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics 72402
Electrical mechanics 72422
Water well drillers 72501
Other technical trades and related occupations 72999
Concrete finishers 73100
Roofers and shinglers 73110
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) 73112
Floor covering installers 73113
Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services 82021
Agriculture & Agri-Food Occupations
Eligibility: Have at least 6 months of continuous full-time work experience (within the last 3 years) in one of the listed occupations, in Canada or abroad.
Occupation NOC Code
Butchers - retail and wholesale 63201
Education Occupations
Eligibility: Have at least 6 months of continuous full-time work experience (within the last 3 years) in one of the listed occupations, in Canada or abroad.
Occupation NOC Code
Secondary school teachers 41220
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers 41221
Early childhood educators and assistants 42202
Instructors of persons with disabilities 42203
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants 43100
Physicians with Canadian Work Experience
Eligibility: Have at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) in one of the listed occupations in Canada.
Occupation NOC Code
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
Specialists in surgery 31101
General practitioners and family physicians 31102

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