In Canada, there are specific in-demand occupations that could make you eligible for a category-based draw selection under Express Entry or could qualify your spouse for a spousal open work permit (SOWP).
You will be eligible for a category-based draw if increases your chances of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency (PR) through Express Entry.
Assess your Express Entry profile competitiveness.
Moreover, under certain types of work permits, only specific TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations will permit your spouse to apply for a spousal open work permit.
In this post, we analyze the most recent official governmental information on job vacancies to show you the in-demand occupations that could optimize your Express Entry profile and (for TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations) which in-demand occupations offer SOWP eligibility.
The information used in this article is from a Statistics Canada report released on June 26, 2025.
Top three in-demand Canada’s sectors
According to the Statistics Canada job vacancy rates published in April 2025, the following sectors remain the most in-demand in Canada:
- Health care and social assistance (4.1%);
- Accommodation and food services (4%); and
- Construction/trades (3.2%).
Vacancy rates in low-demand sectors are below 2%.
Category-based draws
Your prospects of obtaining an ITA for Canadian PR may be boosted if you are eligible for a category-based draw.
To qualify for a category-based draw, you need to hold a full-time, continuous work position for six months or more in a qualifying role.
Listed below are the eligible NOC codes for category-based selection grouped by priority sectors in dire need of workers.
Job vacancy sector 1: Health care and social assistance
All the below-mentioned positions are included under the health care and social services Express Entry grouping.
| Occupation | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Audiologists and speech language pathologists | 31112 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Dieticians and nutritionists | 31121 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Optometrists | 31111 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 |
| Social workers | 41300 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 |
Job vacancy sector 2: Accommodation and food services
| Occupation | NOC code | Express Entry category |
|---|---|---|
| Butchers – retail and wholesale | 63201 | Agriculture and agri-food |
| Cooks | 63200 | Trades |
Job vacancy sector 3: Construction/trades
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The following jobs are all included in the trades category of Express Entry.
| Occupation | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Bricklayers | 72320 |
| Cabinetmakers | 72311 |
| Carpenters | 72310 |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 |
| Construction estimators | 22303 |
| Construction managers | 70010 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 |
| Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 |
| Electrical mechanics | 72422 |
| Floor covering installers | 73113 |
| Gas fitters | 72302 |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 |
| Home building and renovation managers | 70011 |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 73112 |
| Plumbers | 72300 |
| Roofers and shinglers | 73110 |
| Sheet metal workers | 72102 |
| Water well drillers | 72501 |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
Spousal open work permits
Spousal open work permits may be available to the spouses and common-law partners of individuals working in TEER 0 or 1 occupations or certain TEER 2 or 3 occupations in select in-demand sectors.
The construction/trades and healthcare sectors are two of the high-demand areas that are eligible for a spousal work permit.
The following NOC codes and occupations constitute TEER 2 and 3 level positions that pertain to the healthcare and construction/trades domains.
Health care and social assistance.
TEER 2 occupations
| Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Dental technologists and technicians | 32112 |
| Denturists | 32110 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists | 32200 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Other practitioners of natural healing | 32209 |
TEER 3 occupations
| Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|
| Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants | 33100 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 33109 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
