Canada is prioritizing applicants in these occupations for faster work permit processing
Applicants in certain occupations designated as performing or supporting “essential services” in Canada can receive priority processing on their work permit application.
This expedited processing covers employer-specific work permits, including but not limited to:
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based work permits;
Francophone Mobility Work Permits; and
International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits.
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This article will cover which occupations are currently receiving priority work permit processing, how eligible workers can benefit in practice, and how these occupations translate to category-based selection eligible under Express Entry.
Occupations eligible for priority work permit processing
These essential occupations are covered below, with their corresponding National Occupation Classification (NOC) code.
They are concentrated in certain sectors and correspond to persistent labour market gaps in Canada, where hiring has historically lagged.
Healthcare occupations
Occupation title NOC code
Nursing coordinators and supervisors 31300
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses 31301
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
Specialists in surgery 31101
Police investigators and other investigative occupations 41310
General practitioners and family physicians 31102
Nurse practitioners 31302
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 31303
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 32103
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating 31209
Pharmacists 31120
Medical laboratory technologists 32120
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 33101
Medical radiation technologists 32121
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 32123
Licensed practical nurses 32101
Paramedical occupations 32102
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates 33102
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Occupation title NOC code
Butchers – Retail and wholesale 63201
Meat cutters and fishmongers – Retail and wholesale 65202
Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors 82030
Livestock labourers 85100
Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators 84120
Harvesting labourers 85101
Nursery and greenhouse labourers 85103
Fish and seafood plant workers 94142
Labourers in food and beverage processing 95106
Labourers in fish and seafood processing 95107
Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers 94141
How can applicants in these occupations receive priority processing?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) occupation-based priority processing is not a separate application stream you apply for—it’s triggered by how you complete your work permit application.
To be considered, you must be applying for an employer-specific work permit in an eligible occupation (based on IRCC’s priority NOC lists).
In practice, applicants should:
Use the exact NOC code tied to the job offer (the NOC your employer used in the Employer Portal offer of employment or on the LMIA, if applicable).
Enter only that NOC code in the work permit form’s “Job title” field under Details of intended work in Canada ( “Box 4” on the PDF form).
Ensure consistency across documents (job offer/LMIA, role duties, and the NOC code) so the file can be routed correctly.
Because this process relies on a specific job and a specific NOC linked to an employer, it generally does not apply to open work permits (like the post-graduation work permit or International Experience Canada Working Holiday permit), which aren’t tied to a particular employer or position.
Do workers in these occupations have an easier time getting Canadian permanent residence?
Workers in these occupations who qualify for Express Entry may have an easier time receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence (PR).
Some occupations included in the expedited work permit processing lists are also among the occupations listed in Express Entry’s occupational categories.
Candidates with valid Express Entry profiles who gain at least six months of work in these occupations (either in Canada or abroad) can typically receive an ITA for PR through the system with lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores than required for candidates who do not qualify for one of these categories.
Among the healthcare occupations listed for priority work permit processing, all are included with the healthcare Express Entry category, except for Police investigators and other investigative occupations (41310).
Among the Agriculture and agri-food occupations that are listed for priority work permit processing, only one is included within the corresponding Express Entry category—Butchers—Retail and wholesale (63201).
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