Accessible Occupations to Qualify for Category-Based Draws in Express Entry
1. Why should you consider changing your career?
For many foreign nationals seeking to immigrate to Canada, switching to an in-demand occupation can be a strategic choice to increase their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through the system. Express Entry.
In case you:
- No provincial nomination (Provincial Nomination),
- Can't speak French well,
- And CRS score (Comprehensive Ranking System) is not high enough to be invited in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stream,
…then you should consider aiming for withdrawals. Category-Based Draws – which has a significantly lower cut-off score than the CEC draw.
2. Conditions for participating in the withdrawal of applications by profession
To be eligible for occupation-specific draws, you need to:
- Qualify for one of three programs within the system Express Entry (FSW, CEC, FST);
- Have at least 6 months of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in the same priority industry within the last 3 years;
- Meet specific criteria published for each draw.
Note: The occupations in the article are mainly in the TEER 3 group (according to NOC Classification System 2021), meaning the request:
- College diploma
- Or vocational training program under 2 years,
- Or practical training over 6 months.
3. Easy-to-start careers to gain 6 months of experience
| Occupations | Training time required | CRS score of the most recent draw | Occupation Group | Average Wage (Hours) | SOWP eligible? |
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (43100) | 10 months – 2 years | 479 (01/05/2025) | Education | $24.36 | Yes |
| Insurance agents and brokers (63100) | A few weeks – a few months | 491 (11/04/2024) | STEM | $29.77 | No |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations(33101) | 1-2 years | 510 (02/05/2025) | Health – Society | $26.35 | Yes |
| Nurse aides and patient service associates (33102) | Immediately | – | Health – Society | $23.00 | Yes |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (33103) | Immediately | – | Health – Society | $20.00 | Yes |
| Cooks (63200) | Immediately | 433 (23/10/2024) | Trades | $17.00 | No |
| Concrete finishers (73100) | Immediately | – | Trades | $32.76 | Yes |
| Floor covering installers (73113) | Immediately | – | Trades | $26.92 | Yes |
| Roofers and shinglers (73110) | Immediately | – | Trades | $30.00 | Yes |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | Immediately | – | Trades | $26.00 | Yes |
| Butchers – retail and wholesale (63201) | Immediately | 437 (16/02/2024) | Agriculture – Food | $19.50 | No |
4. Explain in detail some typical industries
Primary & secondary teaching assistants (NOC 43100)
- Role: Assist teachers in class, help students with homework, take care of special students.
- Requirements: High school graduate + college program from 10 months - 2 years (education or teaching assistant).
- Advantages: Can work in many provinces; easy to accumulate Express Entry qualifying experience.
Insurance Agents / Brokers (NOC 63100)
- Role: Sell insurance products to individual or business customers.
- Requirements: Complete high school, then take training courses and take licensing exams for each province.
- Note: Most income is commission based, especially in the life insurance industry.
Medical laboratory assistants (NOC 33101)
- Role: Sampling, labeling, preparing test samples.
- Requirements: College degree in specialized field; professional certification from a professional association may be required.
Chef (NOC 63200)
- Role: Prepare food, plan menu, manage kitchen.
- Requirements: No degree required, but work experience and food safety certification are pluses.
Concrete Plasterers (NOC 73100)
- Role: Smoothing and leveling concrete surfaces, making construction floors.
- Requirements: Immediate entry; vocational certification optional (except Quebec).
5. Câu chuyện thực tế: Chiến lược chuyển ngành để định cư
Example: Brian – 26 years old, working in communications in Canada
- Initial CRS: 470 – not enough to be invited through CEC.
- Strategy: Enroll in an education program at college and work as a teaching assistant for 6 months.
- CRS after update: 505 – eligible for Education category draw (CRS cut-off 479).
→ If IRCC continues to open Education draws, Brian has a very high chance of receiving an ITA.
6. Conclusion
Immigration to Canada through Express Entry is no longer based solely on CRS points or initial professional experience. Proactively shifting your career to more in-demand occupations – especially those with labor shortages and priorities – is an effective strategy to increase your chances of receiving an invitation to immigrate.
If you are looking for a safe, easy-to-start career path that can qualify you for Express Entry after just 6 months of work, don't miss the industries mentioned in this article.
