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Canada prioritizes pilots, researchers, health workers and select military recruits in Express Entry overhaul

Canada has reworked its Express Entry system to create priority categories for researchers, health-care workers, pilots and select skilled military recruits, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said. The change targets critical-sector talent while the government signals an overall reduction in permanent-resident intake under its 2026 plan.

Discovered 2026-02-18T16:10:28.734104-08:00 | 2026-02-18T16:10:28.734104-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

Canada has added pilots, researchers, health-care workers and select military recruits to new Express Entry priority categories, creating an expedited pathway to permanent residency while the government aims to reduce total PR intake.
Inclusion of aviation professionals and pilots is a direct policy signal on workforce sourcing for airlines, MROs and training organizations that depend on foreign-trained talent.
This move sits alongside other Canadian regulatory shifts affecting specialized and ex-military aviation operations, providing broader policy context (see source:12d9b270-c719-4636-81bf-013341263522).

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