Are You Eligible for Express Entry’s New Education Category?

By Vikrant Singh, March 18 2025

Foreign-trained school teachers, early childhood educators, and other professionals in education now have a new pathway to Canadian permanent residence (PR) through category-based draws under Express Entry.

On February 27, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced a new education occupation category for Express Entry. This category has been identified as a priority for invitations to apply (ITA) for PR in 2025. Since the introduction of category-based draws in 2023, these draws have consistently featured the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cut-offs of any draw type within Express Entry.

Occupations Included in the Education Category

Occupations in Canada are classified under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system, which organizes job roles based on industry and sector. Each occupation is assigned a Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) level, ranging from TEER 0 (highest level of training and experience) to TEER 5 (lowest level of training and experience).

The following table outlines the occupations included in the new education category:

Job Title	NOC Code	TEER Level
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants	43100	3
Instructors of persons with disabilities	42203	2
Early childhood educators and assistants	42202	2
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers	41221	1
Secondary school teachers	41220	1

Determining Your Eligibility for the Education Category

To qualify under the education category, foreign nationals must meet the following criteria:

• Have a valid Express Entry profile.

• Accumulate at least six months of full-time work experience (or an equivalent amount of part-time experience) within the last three years in one of the eligible occupations listed above.

To determine eligibility, candidates must confirm their NOC code and job title by using the Government of Canada’s NOC webpage. The steps to do this include:

1. Searching for the relevant job title on the NOC webpage.

2. Copying the TEER number and NOC code for the best-matching occupation.

3. Verifying the NOC code on the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) website by checking the listed job duties.

4. Ensuring that the main duties align with the candidate’s work experience.
   

Example Job Titles for Eligible Occupations

To assist in identifying eligibility, the table below lists alternative job titles associated with each education occupation:

NOC Occupation Title	Example Job Titles
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants	Educational assistant, Special education assistant
Instructors of persons with disabilities	Braille instructor, Sign language instructor
Early childhood educators and assistants	Daycare worker, Preschool supervisor
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers	Kindergarten teacher, Special education teacher
Secondary school teachers	English teacher, Vocational teacher

This is not an exhaustive list. For more details on eligible occupations, visit the ESDC website.

How Express Entry Education Category-Based Draws Work

Express Entry manages three primary immigration programs:

1. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

2. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

3. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for at least one of these programs to enter the Express Entry pool. Upon submission, candidates receive a CRS score based on their profile information.

Express Entry draws occur approximately every two weeks and include:

• Program-specific draws

• General draws (all programs)

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws

• Category-based draws

Category-based draws specifically target candidates with work experience in designated occupations. These draws often feature lower CRS cut-off scores due to the smaller candidate pool.

Steps to Participate in an Education Category-Based Draw

1. Create an Express Entry Profile: Candidates must indicate their work experience under an eligible occupation when submitting their profile.

2. Enter the Express Entry Pool: If accepted, candidates become eligible for multiple types of draws, including education category-based draws.

3. Wait for a Relevant Draw: Candidates may receive an ITA if they:

   • Meet the CRS cut-off score.

   • Have a valid Express Entry profile before the tie-breaking rule cut-off time.

   • Satisfy the specific conditions of the draw.

4. Apply for PR: Upon receiving an ITA, candidates have 60 days to submit a complete PR application to IRCC.
   

By leveraging category-based draws, qualified educators now have an enhanced opportunity to achieve Canadian permanent residency.

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