There are a number of in-demand occupations in Canada that can qualify you for a category-based draw under Express Entry, and/or qualify your spouse for a spousal open work permit (SOWP).
If you qualify for a category-based draw, you’ll have a greater chance of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency (PR) through Express Entry.
See how competitive your Express Entry profile is
Furthermore, only certain TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations will allow your spouse to qualify for a spousal open work permit – if you are working in Canada on a certain type of work permit.
In this article, we review the latest official government data on job vacancies, so you can see which in-demand jobs can boost your chance of success in Express Entry, and (in the case of TEER 2 and TEER 3 occupations) which in-demand jobs provide for SOWP eligibility.
The figures presented in this article are from a Statistics Canada report published on June 26, 2025.
Canada’s three most in-demand sectors
The top three most in-demand sectors and industries in Canada as of April 2025, based on job vacancy rates published by Statistics Canada, are as follows:
- 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
You can increase your chances of receiving an ITA for Canadian PR if you qualify for a category-based draw.
To be considered for a category-based draw, you must have at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience in an eligible occupation.
Below are the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes eligible for category-based selection, aligned and organized by the sectors with the highest job vacancy rates.
Job vacancy sector 1: Health care and social assistance
The following occupations all fall under the health care and social services Express Entry category.
Job vacancy sector 2: Accommodation and food services
Job vacancy sector 3: Construction/trades
The following occupations all fall under the trades Express Entry category.
Spousal open work permits
Spouses and common-law partners of those working in TEER 0 or 1 occupations or select TEER 2 or 3 occupations (in certain in-demand sectors) may be eligible to apply for a spousal open work permit.
Two sectors with high job vacancy rates fall into eligible in-demand sectors to obtain a spousal work permit: health care and construction/trades.
Schedule a Free Spousal Open Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm
Below are occupations and NOC codes for TEER 2 and 3 occupations that could correspond to the health care and construction/trades sectors.
Health care and social assistance
TEER 2 occupations
TEER 3 occupations
Schedule a Free Spousal Open Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm
Construction/trades
TEER 2 occupations
TEER 3 occupations
Schedule a Free Spousal Open Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm
Spouses and common-law partners of those working in the accommodation and food services sector in TEER 2 or 3 occupations are not eligible for a spousal open work permit.
Federal focus on healthcare and trades workers for immigration
The Canada-wide need for more health care and construction workers has become particularly evident through federal and provincial immigration announcements, policies, draws, and more.
In February 2025, the federal government announced the 2025 Express Entry priority sectors, two of which align with industries experiencing the highest job vacancy rates: health care and construction/trades.
Thus far in 2025, there have been two health care and social services draws, in which a cumulative total of 1,000 ITAs were issued.
Many provinces are increasingly prioritizing health care and construction workers in their provincial immigration draws and tightening their Provincial Nominee Program and Atlantic Immigration Program to focus on these high-demand sectors.
During the February 2025 Express Entry category restructuring, the immigration department significantly expanded the trades category, adding 19 new eligible occupations.
In March, former immigration minister Marc Miller unveiled significant changes aimed at bolstering Canada’s construction sector, including that Canada would be admitting up to 14,000 foreign national construction workers into the country.
Job vacancy rates by province
A province’s job vacancy rate (JVR) indicates the percentage of positions that are currently unfilled relative to the overall demand for labour in that region.
As of April, the job vacancy rate was the highest in the following provinces.
This data suggests that foreign nationals may have a better chance of securing a job in these provinces, especially within in-demand sectors.
Comparatively, the provinces with the lowest job vacancy rates are as follows:
In provinces with a low JVR, employment opportunities may be less abundant, particularly in general or oversubscribed sectors.
Canada’s JVR in April of this year (2.8%) was the lowest it has been since October of 2017—when it was also 2.8%.
As of April, there were 3.1 unemployed persons for every job vacancy in Canada.
See how competitive your Express Entry profile is