Express Entry Trades can create an additional pathway to permanent residence for PGWP holders whose CRS score may not currently be competitive for Canadian Experience Class draws.
For many international graduates, the original immigration plan was straightforward:
Graduate in Canada → Receive a PGWP → Gain Canadian skilled work experience → Enter Express Entry → Apply for Permanent Residence through CEC
The problem is that having Canadian education and one year of Canadian work experience no longer means that your CRS score will necessarily be competitive for a Canadian Experience Class draw.
A candidate can do everything “right” and still find themselves sitting at CRS 440- 470, while CEC cut-offs remain well above that range.
That does not necessarily mean the candidate has no Express Entry pathway.
It may mean they need to become eligible for another type of Express Entry selection.
For certain PGWP and open-work-permit holders, the Express Entry Trades category can create that opportunity.
You do not have to qualify specifically under the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You can enter the Express Entry pool through the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program, and separately become eligible for a Trades-category draw by meeting the applicable Trades-category requirements.
Under the 2026 rules, the Trades category requires 12 months of full-time work experience — or an equal amount of part-time experience — within the previous three years in one eligible trade occupation. The experience may be gained in Canada or abroad and does not need to be continuous.
The strategic advantage is simple:
You may not need to increase your CRS dramatically, by learning French or improving English. You may need to become eligible to compete in another category of candidates.
And for some people, that does not require leaving their current career.
A candidate may be able to keep their weekday job and accumulate qualifying Trades experience through a second job during evenings or weekends.
If at least 12 months remains on your work permit, this can create another PR strategy while preserving your existing employment.
CRS 440–470 may still be worth assessing if you can become eligible for Express Entry Trades.
Express Entry Trades — Practical Questions
Open a question to see the practical answer.
How Do I Find Trade Jobs for Express Entry?
For many PGWP holders, finding the right trade jobs for Express Entry is one of the most difficult parts of building an Express Entry Trades strategy.
The challenge is not simply finding employment in construction, restoration, maintenance or another trade-related sector.
The real objective is to find employment that:
Matches an eligible Trades NOC + Provides enough qualifying hours + Fits your work-permit timeline + Can realistically be maintained long enough to build the required experience
In practice, there are three main ways candidates can approach the search.
1. Referrals Through Friends and Other PGWP Holders
Friends, former classmates and colleagues may already work for employers that hire PGWP holders and offer evening, weekend or flexible shifts.
A referral can be especially useful when someone you know already works for an employer familiar with PGWP holders and understands why a candidate may want to accumulate qualifying trade experience.
2. Immigration Companies With Employer Relationships
Immigration companies may already have relationships with employers in construction, restoration, maintenance, installation and other trade sectors.
For example, EverNorth may refer suitable candidates to employers we know, have worked with, or can assess against the applicable immigration requirements.
EverNorth does not charge candidates for finding or referring them to employment. Employment referral is separate from paid immigration services.
The benefit is not simply an introduction to an employer.
The employment can also be assessed from an immigration perspective before a candidate spends months accumulating experience that may not ultimately help their PR strategy.
3. Specialized Recruiters and HR Agencies
Recruiters working with construction, restoration, maintenance, installation and other trade sectors can also help identify suitable employers.
Candidates should work with legitimate recruiters and should not pay recruitment or placement fees simply to obtain employment.
Why Can PGWP Holders Be Attractive to Trade Employers?
Many employers in trade sectors deal with employee turnover. PGWP holders who are intentionally building qualifying experience towards PR can be attractive candidates because they may have a strong reason to stay with the employer and work consistently for the required period.
The candidate may be working toward:
12 Months of Qualifying Experience → Trades Eligibility → PR
For many candidates, the value of the job is therefore not only the hourly wage. That does not mean accepting poor wages, unsafe conditions or unsuitable employment. The job should still be legitimate, fairly compensated and sustainable.
But when comparing two employment opportunities, the better question is not always simply:
“Which job pays more?”
It can also be:
“Which job gives me the best combination of income, qualifying experience and a realistic pathway to PR?”
What Are the Express Entry Trade Occupations Eligibility Requirements?
The most important point about Express Entry trade occupations eligibility is that the Express Entry Trades category is not the same thing as the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Express Entry manages three federal economic immigration programs:
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
If you qualify for any one of these programs, you may enter the Express Entry pool.
IRCC can then identify candidates in the pool who separately meet the requirements for a category such as Trade occupations. Those candidates are ranked by CRS, and the highest-ranking candidates may receive invitations in an Express Entry draw for trade occupations.
For the 2026 Trades category, you need:
At least 12 months of full-time work experience — or an equal amount of part-time experience — within the previous three years in one occupation on the eligible Trades list.
The experience:
- may be gained in Canada or abroad;
- does not need to be continuous;
- must be accumulated in one eligible occupation; and
- does not have to be your primary occupation.
So there are really two separate questions:
1. Are you eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs?
2. Do you also satisfy the Express Entry Trades category requirements?
If both answers are yes, you may be considered when IRCC conducts an Express Entry trade draw.
Can I Keep My Current Job and Gain Trades Experience Through a Second Job?
For PGWP and other open-work-permit holders, yes.
This can be one of the most useful features of an Express Entry Trades strategy.
A full-time strategy may look approximately like:
30 hours/week × 12 months
The Trades category also accepts an equivalent amount of part-time experience.
So a part-time strategy might look approximately like:
15 hours/week × 24 months
This can be particularly useful for candidates who already have a professional career they do not want to leave.
Some trade employers operate:
- evenings;
- weekends;
- overnight;
- emergency shifts; or
- extended service hours.
Restoration, property services, locksmithing, installation and maintenance operations, for example, may provide work outside traditional Monday-to-Friday office hours.
For some candidates, the strategy can therefore become:
Keep Weekday Career + Work Evenings/Weekends in an Eligible Trade Occupation + Accumulate Required Experience + Become Trades-Category Eligible
The critical limitation is time remaining on your work permit.
If you have seven months remaining, a two-year part-time strategy is obviously not realistic on its own.
If you have one, two or three years remaining, the calculation can look very different.
That is why a second-job strategy should be assessed before the final months of a PGWP.
Skilled Trades Express Entry: Why Are CRS Cut-Offs Lower?
Historically, skilled trades Express Entry category draws have often had lower CRS thresholds than general or Canadian Experience Class draws.
In 2024, for example, the two Trades-category rounds had cut-offs of 436 and 433. IRCC’s 2024 year-end report shows a median Trades-category CRS cut-off of 435.
Why can this happen?
Category-based selection changes who you are competing against.
In a CEC draw, you compete against other eligible CEC candidates.
In an Express Entry trade draw, IRCC identifies candidates with qualifying Trades experience and then ranks that category-eligible group by CRS.
One possible reason for historically lower Trades cut-offs is the composition of that eligible pool.
Healthcare categories, for example, include physicians, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, nurses and other professionals. Many candidates in these occupations may have substantial university education, which can contribute significantly to CRS.
The Trades category is different.
It contains occupations such as:
carpenters, locksmiths, painters, roofers, floor installers, machinists and mechanics.
Several are TEER 3 occupations.
That is the reason Trades cut-offs have historically been lower.
The actual draw history shows why candidates with CRS around 440+ should pay attention.
Express Entry Trade Draw History: CRS Scores From the Beginning Until Now
Category-based selection began in 2023.
| Date | Invitations | CRS Cut-Off |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2023 | 1,500 | 388 |
| December 19, 2023 | 1,000 | 425 |
| July 4, 2024 | 1,800 | 436 |
| October 23, 2024 | 1,800 | 433 |
| September 18, 2025 | 1,250 | 505 |
| April 2, 2026 | 3,000 | 477 |
IRCC’s year-end reports confirm the 2023 and 2024 results.
The pattern is important:
388 → 425 → 436 → 433 → 505 → 477
Five of the six Trades-category draws held since category-based selection began have had a CRS cut-off below 500.
Four were below 450.
The latest Express Entry trade draw was held on April 2, 2026, when 3,000 candidates received ITAs with a minimum CRS of 477.
That does not mean the next draw will have a cut-off of 440.
But it does show why candidates around CRS 440–470 may have another opportunity if they can become eligible for the Express Entry Trades category.
Why Did the Express Entry Trade Draw Reach CRS 505 in 2025?
The September 18, 2025 draw stands out immediately.
The cut-off was 505, significantly higher than every previous Trades-category round.
There were several unusual factors.
First, it was the only Trades-category draw held in 2025, and IRCC issued only 1,250 invitations.
By comparison, the two Trades draws in 2024 issued a combined 3,600 ITAs.
A long period without a Trades draw gave higher-scoring Trades-eligible candidates more time to accumulate in the pool.
There was another important factor:
Cooks Were Included in the Trades Category
Candidates researching cook trade Express Entry history may notice that cooks were included in the Trades category in 2025.
NOC 63200 — Cooks was eligible at that time.
An analysis using IRCC pool data estimated that, in a 2,000-ITA Trades draw based on the September 2025 pool, about 1,121 invitations have gone to cooks, compared with approximately 401 candidates across 20 hands-on construction trades combined.
In 2026, IRCC removed cooks and chefs from the Trades category.
The current category is much more concentrated around construction and technical trades.
The next Trades draw, in April 2026, fell from 505 to 477, while the number of invitations increased to 3,000.
We cannot conclude that removing cooks alone caused the lower cut-off. Draw size, pool composition, the 12-month experience requirement and other factors also matter.
But the 505 score should be viewed as an unusual historical result, rather than automatically assumed to be the long-term benchmark for Express Entry Trades.
Express Entry Skilled Trade Draw Strategy for CRS 440+ Candidates
There is no CRS score that guarantees a future Trades ITA.
The latest draw required 477, meaning a candidate at 440 would not have received an invitation in that particular round.
But historical Trades cut-offs have been:
388 → 425 → 436 → 433 → 505 → 477
For someone sitting at CRS 450+, that history makes Express Entry Trades worth seriously assessing.
The correct question is not:
“Will CRS 440 be enough?”
Nobody can responsibly promise that.
The better question is:
“If I can become eligible for the Trades category while maintaining CRS 440+, does that give me another realistic opportunity to compete for an ITA?”
Historically:
Yes, it can.
There may also be another benefit.
If the new employment increases the amount of eligible Canadian skilled work experience recognized in your CRS calculation, your CRS may increase as well, depending on your existing profile.
So there can potentially be two different benefits:
Additional year of qualifying Canadian experience may increase CRS
Qualifying Trades experience may make you eligible for another category-based draw
That is why the strategy is not simply about “getting a trade job.”
It is about assessing whether the employment improves your overall immigration position.
Express Entry Trade Occupations: 2026 Eligible NOC List
The current Express Entry trade occupations list contains 25 occupations.
The table below provides the list of trade occupations eligible for Express Entry Trades category-based selection, together with the applicable Express Entry skilled trade NOC codes and TEER classifications.
| Express Entry Trade Occupation | NOC | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Construction estimators | 22303 | 2 |
| Construction managers | 70010 | 0 |
| Home building and renovation managers | 70011 | 0 |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 | 2 |
| Sheet metal workers | 72102 | 2 |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 | 2 |
| Electricians, except industrial and power system | 72200 | 2 |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 | 2 |
| Plumbers | 72300 | 2 |
| Gas fitters | 72302 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 72310 | 2 |
| Cabinetmakers | 72311 | 2 |
| Bricklayers | 72320 | 2 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | 2 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 | 2 |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | 2 |
| Electrical mechanics | 72422 | 2 |
| Water well drillers | 72501 | 2 |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 | 2 |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 | 3 |
| Roofers and shinglers | 73110 | 3 |
| Painters and decorators | 73112 | 3 |
| Floor covering installers | 73113 | 3 |
| Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 | 2 |
| Butchers — retail and wholesale | 63201 | 3 |
Several trade occupations for Express Entry are TEER 3, including concrete finishers, roofers, painters, floor covering installers and butchers.
Some employers may offer entry-level opportunities in certain occupations where practical skills can be developed after hiring.
What Is the Express Entry Trade Draw Prediction for the Next Draw?
An Express Entry trade draw prediction can use historical results to assess possible scenarios, but it remains a forecast. The historical record suggests that Trades cut-offs can fall substantially below CEC levels.
Our current projection is approximately 465–480 for any remaining Trades draws in 2026, followed by a potential gradual decline toward 450–470 in 2027 and 440–460 in 2028. If Canada continues prioritizing skilled trades and invitation volumes remain strong, cut-offs in the low-to-mid 400s could become possible by 2029. This forecast is based on historical Trades-category results, the current composition of eligible occupations, Canada’s continued focus on labour shortages, and planned economic immigration levels.
Another very important point is the validity period of your qualifying work experience. Under the current Express Entry Trades category rules, you need at least one year of qualifying work experience within the previous three years. This means that if you start gaining qualifying experience at the end of 2026 and complete one full year by the end of 2027, that experience could continue to make you eligible for Trades-category invitation rounds until approximately the end of 2029
Express Entry Trades Case Scenarios: How the Strategy Can Work in Real Life
Three profiles. Three different ways to use time, employment and category eligibility.
Daniel, 27 CRS 481, but He Did Not Want to Leave His Office Career
Daniel completed a two-year Business Administration program in Ontario and received a PGWP.
He was working full-time as an administrative coordinator and had:
more than one year of Canadian skilled experience, CLB 9 English, no French and a CRS of approximately 481.
His problem was not employment.
He liked his job.
His problem was that CRS 481 was still not competitive for the CEC draws he was watching.
The wrong recommendation would have been:
“Quit your office career and become a tradesperson.”
Instead, we assessed whether a second-job Express Entry Trades strategy could work.
Daniel was introduced to a company providing restoration and emergency property services.
The employer operated 24/7, including evenings and weekends, because water, fire and other emergency property damage does not occur only during normal office hours.
That allowed Daniel to build qualifying experience without giving up his administrative career.
His strategy became:
Keep Office Career + Qualifying Second Job + Trades Experience + Another Express Entry Category
Once Daniel accumulated the required qualifying experience, he could potentially become eligible for Trades-category selection in addition to the Express Entry pathways already available to him.
Daniel's Lesson
Sometimes you do not need to replace your career.
You need to build another pathway beside it.
Arman, 29 CRS 468 and Enough Time to Build a Part-Time Trades Strategy
Arman had a bachelor’s degree from abroad, a two-year Canadian diploma and one year of Canadian sales experience.
His CRS was approximately 468.
He had no French.
One of the strongest advantages in his situation was that his PGWP still had two years and one months remaining.
That made a part-time strategy realistic.
Instead of trying to add another 30-hour workweek to his existing career, Arman worked approximately 15 hours per week in qualifying Trades employment, concentrated primarily on weekends.
At that pace, accumulating the equivalent of 12 months of full-time experience takes roughly two years.
For someone whose PGWP expires in six months, that would not be a realistic strategy.
For Arman, it was possible because he started early.
During this period, he continued accumulating Canadian skilled work experience while also building the experience required for the Express Entry Trades category.
His CRS eventually increased to approximately 486, and he received an invitation in the April 2026 Trades draw, two weeks before his work permit expired, where the minimum CRS was 477.
Arman's Lesson
Your CRS score is only part of the immigration equation.
The amount of time remaining on your work permit determines which strategies you still have time to build.
Marcus, 30 Express Entry Trades Was the Main Strategy, but the Job Also Created an Ontario PNP Option
Marcus was working in Canada with a CRS in the mid-430s.
The initial goal was to accumulate qualifying experience for a future Express Entry skilled trade draw.
But before recommending an employer, we considered more than federal Express Entry.
We also looked at:
Occupation + Employer + Wage + Ontario Location + Employment History
because those same factors could potentially become relevant to an Ontario PNP strategy.
The employment was therefore assessed against two separate possibilities:
Express Entry Trades
and
Ontario PNP
The requirements are different, and qualifying for one does not automatically mean qualifying for the other.
But designing employment around more than one realistic pathway can be strategically valuable.
Marcus's Lesson
The strongest employment strategy is not always one that provides one PR option.
Where possible, it can be better to build employment that can be assessed against multiple pathways.
Why Express Entry Trades Can Be Particularly Valuable for CRS 440+ Candidates
Consider two candidates.
Both have CRS 458.
Candidate A continues working in an occupation that allows them to remain in the Express Entry pool but does not qualify for an occupational category. Candidate B keeps the same primary career but also accumulates the required experience in an eligible Trades occupation. Their CRS may remain similar.
But their potential invitation opportunities are different. Candidate A may depend primarily on CEC or other applicable rounds. Candidate B may potentially become eligible for:
CEC or another qualifying Express Entry program + Trades-category selection + possibly an Ontario PNP pathway
depending on the rest of the profile. That is the real strategic value of skilled trade Express Entry. It does not automatically add CRS points simply because someone works in a trade. It can add another selection opportunity for the CRS score you already have.
Your Work Permit Has an Expiry Date. Your PR Strategy Should Have a Start Date.
For PGWP holders, one of the biggest mistakes is simply waiting. Waiting for CEC cut-offs to fall. Waiting for another immigration policy change. Waiting until only six months remain on the work permit. But Express Entry Trades eligibility requires something that cannot be created overnight:
12 months of qualifying experience.
If you intend to accumulate that experience part-time at approximately 15 hours per week, you may need roughly two years. That means a candidate with 30 months remaining on a PGWP has a very different strategic position from a candidate with six months remaining. Your work permit has an expiry date. Your PR strategy should therefore have a start date.
CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY TODAY →
Express Entry Trades 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
Open a question to see the practical answer.
1. What Is the Express Entry Trade Occupations List for 2026?
The Express Entry trade occupations list for 2026 contains 25 occupations, including carpenters, plumbers, electricians, welders, painters, roofers, mechanics and several other construction, industrial and technical occupations.
The complete list of trade occupations eligible for Express Entry is provided in the table above.
Eligibility is based on the candidate’s qualifying work experience in an eligible occupation and the actual NOC duties performed — not simply the job title.
2. What Are the Express Entry Skilled Trade NOC Codes?
The Express Entry skilled trade NOC codes range across several occupational groups.
Examples include:
The complete 2026 list contains 25 eligible occupations.
Before relying on a NOC for immigration purposes, the candidate’s actual duties should be compared with the applicable NOC description.
3. How Much Is the Score for Skilled Trades Express Entry?
There is no fixed CRS score for skilled trades Express Entry.
Historical Trades-category cut-offs have ranged from 388 to 505, while the latest Express Entry trade draw had a minimum CRS of 477.
There is also no separate Express Entry skilled trade calculator. Your CRS is calculated under the regular Comprehensive Ranking System. Trades-category eligibility determines whether you can also be considered in a Trades-category round.
For candidates around CRS 440–470, the historical results make the category worth assessing, but no future score can be guaranteed.
4. What Are the Express Entry Skilled Trade Requirements?
There is an important distinction here.
The Express Entry Trades category requirements are not the same as the eligibility requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
To participate in a Trades-category draw, you must first qualify for at least one Express Entry program — CEC, FSWP or FSTP — and separately have the required qualifying experience in an eligible Trades occupation.
For 2026, that means at least 12 months of qualifying full-time experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, within the previous three years in one eligible occupation.
5. Do I Need a Trade Certificate for Express Entry?
It depends on the occupation and the immigration program involved.
A trade certificate for Express Entry Trades category-based selection is not automatically required simply because an occupation appears on the Trades list.
Some occupations have provincial licensing or certification requirements, while others may allow significant on-the-job training.
The candidate’s exact occupation, NOC duties and provincial requirements should therefore be reviewed before relying on the employment for an immigration strategy.
6. Is Express Entry Trades the Same as the Express Entry Federal Skilled Trades Program?
The Express Entry Federal Skilled Trades Program is one of the three federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry.
The Express Entry Trades category is a category-based selection mechanism.
For example, someone can qualify for Express Entry through CEC, separately accumulate the required experience in an eligible trade occupation, and then become eligible for a Trades-category draw.
This distinction is important when researching the Canada Express Entry Federal Skilled Trades Program because you do not need to qualify specifically under FSTP to receive an invitation in a Trades-category round.
7. When Is the Next Trade Express Entry Draw?
IRCC does not publish a guaranteed schedule for the next Trade Express Entry draw.
As of September 2026, the latest Express Entry trade draw was held on April 2, 2026, when IRCC invited 3,000 candidates with a minimum CRS of 477. Usually, IRCC holds 2 draws in an year for the Trades Category with an allocation for 3500-5000 candidates.
For candidates searching for a trade draw Express Entry today, it is important to check the latest IRCC rounds rather than rely on an expected schedule because category-based draws do not occur at fixed intervals.
Don't Wait for One CRS Number to Save Your PR Strategy
If your CRS is 440, 450, 460 or 470, the answer is not automatically:
“Your score is too low.”
And the answer should not automatically be:
“Leave your career and work in construction.”
The better question is:
What additional PR pathway can you realistically build before your work permit expires?
For some candidates, CEC may still be the strongest option. For others, it may be Ontario PNP, French-language selection or another immigration pathway.
But for eligible PGWP and open-work-permit holders with enough time remaining, Express Entry Trades can provide another opportunity to compete for an ITA without necessarily abandoning the career they have already built. If your CRS is 440-515, your current pathway is not competitive, and you still have enough work-permit validity to accumulate qualifying experience, Express Entry Trades deserves to be assessed before you simply wait for CEC scores to fall.
Your Work Permit Has an Expiry Date. Your Canadian PR Goal Doesn’t Have To.
EverNorth can assess your CRS, current employment, transferable skills, remaining work-permit time and potential trade occupations to determine whether a full-time, second-job or part-time Express Entry Trades strategy can realistically add another pathway to Permanent Residence.
