Canada increased the number of invitations for skilled trades in Express Entry

There was a break of nearly half a year between the selection rounds in this category.

On October 1, 2026, Canada held draw Express Entry No. 447 in the Trades Occupations category. A total of 3,500 candidates received invitations to apply for permanent residence, and the CRS cut-off score was 476.

The previous selection round for blue-collar professions took place on April 2, 2026: at that time, 3,000 people with a score of 477 or higher received invitations. The current selection round has 500 more invitations, and the cutoff score is 1 point lower.

How the selection process for blue-collar professions has changed

Almost half a year—182 days—passed between the two selection rounds in this category. Prior to the April selection, candidates in blue-collar professions received invitations on September 18, 2025 (1,250 people, score of 505) and October 23, 2024 (1,800 people, score of 433).

The selection on October 1, 2026, was the largest in this category since October 2024, and the score of 476 was the lowest during that same period.

For the Express Entry system, this is already the third selection round this week. On September 28, 2026, 733 provincial nominees with a score of 725 or higher received invitations, and on September 29, 2026, 2,000 candidates with work experience in Canada and a score of 518 or higher received invitations. Since January 1, 2026, approximately 135,000 invitations have been issued across all Express Entry categories.

Want to find out if you have a chance of receiving an invitation in the skilled worker category? Sign up for an assessment of your chances of immigrating to Canada.

A consultant will review your experience, your occupation code NOC, and your CRS score, and will advise you on how to improve them.

Who Is Suited for Blue-Collar Jobs?

The selection process for this category is intended for candidates Express Entry who work in occupations listed on IRCC's official list: in construction, equipment repair and maintenance, electrical installation, and other technical professions.

To be eligible, an applicant must qualify for at least one of the Express Entry programs and have at least 6 months of continuous full-time work experience in one of the occupations on the list within the past 3 years. This experience may have been gained either in Canada or abroad.