- 1275 Finch Avenue West Unit 406, North York, ON M3J 0L5
- info@immigrationtocanada.com
Don’t just wait for CEC scores to drop.
For eligible candidates, qualifying trade experience may create a realistic pathway to Permanent Residence through the Express Entry Trades category.
Express Entry Trades category-based selection can provide an additional Permanent Residence opportunity for eligible candidates with qualifying work experience in an occupation included in IRCC’s Trades category.
Historically, Trades category draws have had significantly lower CRS cut-offs than Canadian Experience Class draws.
This can create an important opportunity for candidates who have a reasonable CRS score but are still not competitive enough for CEC.
If you are working, you may be able to keep your current job. You have already invested time building your Canadian career. You don’t necessarily have to give it up just to pursue another PR strategy.
For eligible candidates, qualifying trade employment may be a second job while they continue working in their existing career.
Trade employment may also offer evening, weekend or flexible schedules, particularly in occupations where services are required outside standard business hours. This can make it possible for some candidates to combine their existing career with qualifying trade employment.
Under 2026 category rules, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (30 hr/week) — or an equivalent amount of part-time experience — must be accumulated in an eligible trade occupation within the previous three years.
Your eligible trade occupation does not have to be your primary occupation for the Trades category. This can allow some candidates to build qualifying experience while remaining in their current profession.
For candidates whose CRS is not competitive for CEC, the Trades category may provide a more accessible PR opportunity with lower threshold in the next category-based draw.
We assess your CRS, current Express Entry eligibility, work permit timeline, education, language results, Canadian experience and transferable skills to determine whether a Trades strategy is realistic.
Already employed? You don’t necessarily have to leave the career you’ve worked hard to build.
We identify eligible trade occupations that may fit your skills and employment strategy. Depending on the occupation and employer, evening, weekend or flexible work may be possible.
Accumulate the qualifying work experience required for the current Trades category in a single eligible occupation.
Once you have the required trade experience — and otherwise qualify for one of the Express Entry programs — your profile may be considered in Trades category-based rounds.
If your CRS is competitive in a future Trades round, you may receive an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence.
Don’t spend the remaining time on your work permit simply waiting and hoping. If this strategy fits your profile, start building qualifying experience while you still have time.
We first assess whether the Express Entry Trades strategy is realistic for your profile. If it is, we help you identify the right trade occupation, build an employment strategy, plan your qualifying experience and manage the immigration process.
Trades is an occupation-based category within Express Entry. In a Trades category-based round, IRCC identifies candidates already in the Express Entry pool who meet the specific Trades category requirements, ranks them by CRS score and invites the highest-ranking eligible candidates.
No. They are different. The Federal Skilled Trades Program is one of the three immigration programs managed through Express Entry. The Trades category is a category-based selection mechanism used to invite candidates from the Express Entry pool. You may qualify for the Trades category while being in the pool through another Express Entry program, such as the Canadian Experience Class, provided you meet the category requirements.
Under the current 2026 rules, you need at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equal amount of part-time experience, accumulated within the previous three years in a single occupation on IRCC's current Trades category list. The experience does not need to be continuous and may have been gained in Canada or abroad.
No. IRCC's current category rules state that the qualifying experience can be in a listed occupation regardless of your primary occupation. This is what makes the strategy particularly relevant to some PGWP and open work permit holders who want to keep their existing professional career while building qualifying trade experience separately.
Potentially, yes. Category eligibility is based on qualifying work experience in a listed occupation, not on that occupation being your primary career.
Whether a particular second-job arrangement will satisfy the requirements depends on the hours, duties, NOC classification, authorization to work and other circumstances. We assess the employment structure before relying on it for an immigration strategy.
IRCC requires 12 months of full-time work experience or an equal amount of part-time experience for the current Trades category. Full-time is generally calculated at 30 hours per week. Part-time experience can also count toward the equivalent requirement, provided the experience otherwise meets the category rules.
Not specifically for category-based Trades eligibility. However, you must first qualify for at least one Express Entry program. If the program you rely on is the Federal Skilled Trades Program, that program has separate requirements, including a valid qualifying job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification. Candidates entering the pool through CEC or FSW may have different program requirements.
No. Under the current Trades category rules, the required qualifying experience may be gained in Canada or abroad, as long as it was accumulated within the required period and meets the requirements for an eligible occupation. For candidates already in Canada, however, gaining Canadian trade experience may be the practical way to build category eligibility while their work permit remains valid.
The 2026 list includes selected occupations in construction, industrial and technical trades, including occupations such as carpenters, locksmiths, painters and floor covering installers. These occupations may offer entry-level opportunities where previous experience is not required, and practical skills can often be developed on the job, depending on the employer.
Another advantage is that some of these jobs may offer evening and weekend shifts. This can make it possible to accumulate qualifying experience through a second job while keeping your current employment. You may work 30 hours per week or accumulate an equivalent amount of part-time experience, provided you have enough time remaining on your work permit to meet the required experience period.
No. Category eligibility does not guarantee an Invitation to Apply. IRCC decides when to hold category-based rounds, and eligible candidates are ranked by CRS. You must have a competitive CRS score for the particular round and meet all applicable Express Entry and category requirements.
There is no guaranteed future cut-off. CRS thresholds depend on the number and ranking of eligible candidates, the number of invitations issued and IRCC's selection decisions. Historical results can help with strategy, but they cannot guarantee what a future Trades cut-off will be.
Early planning matters because the current Trades category requires 12 months of qualifying experience. If your work permit has limited time remaining, waiting too long can leave insufficient time to identify an appropriate occupation, secure qualifying employment and accumulate the required experience. We recommend assessing the strategy before your work permit is close to expiry.
If your CRS is not currently competitive for CEC, use the time remaining on your work permit strategically. Find out whether qualifying trade experience could create another Express Entry opportunity for your profile.
info@immigrationtocanada.com
1275 Finch Ave W unit 406, North York, ON M3J 3J7
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