The Government of Canada has released its 2025 Express Entry categories, identifying key professions eligible for category-based permanent residence applications. The priority sectors include healthcare, education, STEM, agriculture, and skilled trades, with specific roles such as nurses, engineers, teachers, farmers, carpenters, and IT professionals.

The programme supports Canada’s economic growth, as immigration accounts for nearly 100% of the country’s labour force growth. Marc Miller, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, stated that aligning immigration selection with long-term labour shortages ensures a sustainable, well-managed workforce.

Eligible professionals include:

• Healthcare & Social Services: Family physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, psychologists, and chiropractors.
• Trade Occupations: Carpenters, plumbers, and contractors.
• Education: Teachers, child care educators, and special needs instructors.
• STEM Fields: Engineers, data analysts, actuaries, biologists, and IT professionals.
• Agriculture & Agri-Food: Farmers, farm workers, and food processing technologists.

To qualify, South Africans must have at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience in one of these professions within the past three years and pass a language proficiency test to ensure sufficient English skills.

These adjustments aim to fill critical labour shortages, particularly in healthcare, construction, and education, by targeting skilled professionals ready to contribute to Canada’s economy.