Canada Express Entry opens doors for 1,000 foreign teachers to work, live

Teachers hoping to settle in Canada may find new opportunities after the country launched its first Express Entry draw for the education category on May 1, 2025. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 1,000 candidates to apply for permanent residency through this draw.

 

The education-specific draw, conducted under the Express Entry system which manages skilled immigration applications, is the first of its kind. It follows the introduction of a dedicated education category in February 2025, responding to teacher shortages across many Canadian provinces.

 

“Canada needs skilled educators to meet growing demands, and this draw is a step towards that goal,” IRCC stated.

 

 

Eligibility criteria for the May 1, 2025 draw

 

Candidates invited had to meet several conditions, including:

 

Proof of academic qualifications in education

Language proficiency in English or French

Teaching experience in one of the targeted fields:

 

Elementary and secondary school teaching

Early childhood education

Special needs education

Educational administration and policy development

A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 479

An Express Entry profile created before August 10, 2024

 

Shift in immigration priorities

 

The launch of an education-focused category reflects a wider shift towards industry-specific immigration selection. In recent months, Express Entry draws had largely focused on candidates nominated by provinces through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) or those with strong French-language skills.

 

The IRCC has previously conducted category-based draws for healthcare workers, STEM professionals, and French speakers. This approach allows Canada to adjust its skilled migration intake according to labour market pressures.

 

New Express Entry updates for 2025

 

Several changes have been introduced to the Express Entry system this year:

 

< Education occupations have been added as a new priority category

< The transport category, which previously included truck drivers and airline pilots, has been removed

< The healthcare and social services categories have been expanded, adding eight new occupations, including pharmacists and social workers

priority draws will now focus on:

 

French-language proficiency

Healthcare and social service occupations

Trades occupations

Education occupations

 

These categories are expected to have more frequent and focused draws throughout the year.

 

Fewer opportunities for tech and transport workers

 

The new education category includes a wider range of roles, such as kindergarten teachers, teaching assistants, early childhood educators, and instructors for persons with disabilities.

 

At the same time, the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) category has been narrowed. Positions like architects, software engineers, data scientists, and computer systems managers have been removed. Meanwhile, insurance agents and brokers have been added.

 

The removal of the transport sector from the priority categories means that truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and airline pilots will no longer benefit from targeted invitations through Express Entry.

 

Next steps for selected candidates

 

Those invited on May 1 have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residency. If approved, they will be able to settle in Canada and take up roles in the education sector.