Canada for tech workers in 2026: Express Entry, GTS and work permits

GlobalIshaan VardhanOct 15, 20269 min read

Canada is still one of the most predictable places for a tech worker to move to in 2026, but the easy route has narrowed. Express Entry has not held a STEM-category draw since April 2024, and most invitations now go to people with Canadian work experience or French. The fastest way in is often an employer-sponsored work permit through the Global Talent Stream, which has a 10-business-day service standard.

This is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm current rules on canada.ca (IRCC and ESDC) or with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer before you apply.

Key takeaways

• IRCC set its 2026 Express Entry categories on 18 February 2026. STEM is still a category, but by 1 October 2026 there had been no STEM draw at all in 2026.
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) has been the main door for skilled workers in 2026, with 17 draws and 55,250 invitations. Recent cut-offs were in the 516 to 523 range.
• The Global Talent Stream lets employers hire software engineers, developers, data scientists and other tech roles at the prevailing wage. ESDC aims to process applications in 10 business days, 80% of the time.
• Canada’s 2026 plan cuts temporary arrivals to 385,000 while keeping permanent residents at 380,000. That favours people who are already in Canada.
• The Start-up Visa is paused, and the H-1B pathway promised in Budget 2025 had no published application process when we checked on 4 October 2026.

How Express Entry works in 2026

Express Entry is Canada’s online system for three federal economic programmes: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Candidates create a profile and receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. IRCC then holds “rounds” that invite the highest-scoring candidates to apply for permanent residence (PR).

Two changes still catch people out. Since 25 March 2025, IRCC no longer gives CRS points for a job offer, according to its CRS criteria page. A provincial nomination, by contrast, still adds 600 points, which in practice guarantees an invitation. Federal Skilled Worker candidates also need settlement funds: $15,263 for a single applicant and $28,362 for a family of four, under amounts in force since 7 July 2025, according to IRCC. CEC applicants are exempt, as are people already authorised to work in Canada who hold a valid job offer.

The 2026 category list, and the STEM problem

On 18 February 2026, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced new categories for physicians, researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience, plus transport occupations and skilled military recruits, according to IRCC. IRCC’s category page lists ten categories for the year: French-language proficiency, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport, physicians, senior managers, researchers and skilled military recruits. Most occupational categories now need at least 12 months of full-time experience in the past three years, up from six months previously, according to Fragomen.

The catch for software people is in the details. When we checked IRCC’s STEM table on 4 October 2026, it listed engineering and engineering-technologist roles plus cybersecurity specialists (NOC 21220). Software engineers (NOC 21231), software developers (NOC 21232) and data scientists (NOC 21211) are not on it, according to IRCC’s category list. The bigger issue is that the category has not been used. IRCC’s draw data shows only three STEM rounds ever: July 2023, December 2023, and 11 April 2024, when 4,500 candidates were invited with a cut-off of 491.

What the 2026 draws actually look like

We totalled every round IRCC published between 1 January and 1 October 2026 from its Express Entry rounds data. Invitations to apply (ITAs) broke down like this:

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The most recent rounds show the score levels. CEC draws invited 2,000 people at a cut-off of 521 on 1 September, 519 on 15 September and 518 on 29 September 2026. A PNP round on 28 September invited 733 people at 725, a score that already includes the 600 nomination points. The French-language round on 19 August invited 5,000 at just 382.

For a tech worker abroad without Canadian experience or French, a CRS score in the low 500s is very hard to reach. The realistic options are to gain Canadian experience on a work permit and then apply through the CEC, to earn a provincial nomination, or to learn French. In 2026, French-language rounds closed more than 100 points below CEC rounds.

The Global Talent Stream: Canada’s fast lane for tech hires

The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program run by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Employers apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), the government check that a foreign hire will not hurt the local job market. Under GTS, ESDC aims to process that LMIA within 10 business days, 80% of the time. IRCC aims to process the related work permit within 10 business days, 80% of the time, according to ESDC’s GTS page, updated 16 September 2026.

Category A and Category B

Category A is for innovative firms referred by one of the stream’s designated partners to hire “unique and specialized” talent. The role must pay at least $80,000 a year ($38.46 an hour) and usually calls for advanced knowledge, an advanced degree or at least five years of specialised experience, according to ESDC’s programme requirements.

Category B needs no referral. It covers occupations on ESDC’s Global Talent Occupations List, which as of 16 September 2026 includes:

• software engineers and designers (NOC 21231) and software developers and programmers (21232), at the prevailing wage
• computer systems developers and programmers (21230), web developers (21234) and web designers (21233)
• data scientists (21211), database analysts (21223) and cybersecurity specialists (21220)
• computer and information systems managers (20012) and computer engineers (21311)
• a few technician roles with fixed wage floors, such as computer network and web technicians at $85,000

Employers pay a $1,000 processing fee per position and must submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan, which sets out commitments such as training or hiring Canadians. The fee cannot be recovered from the worker.

Work permits and what they cost

Most tech workers arrive on an employer-specific work permit. That could follow a GTS LMIA, or an LMIA-exempt route such as an intra-company transfer or a trade-agreement category. IRCC says complete applications under its Global Skills Strategy are eligible for two-week processing, according to its tech-talent page. IRCC’s fee list, last modified on 21 September 2026, shows:

Scroll the table sideways →

A year of skilled Canadian work on that permit makes you eligible for the CEC. In 2026 the CEC has been the most reliable PR draw for people already in the country.

Policy direction: fewer newcomers, more in-Canada transitions

Canada’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, published on 5 November 2025, targets 380,000 new permanent residents in 2026. Of these, 239,800 are in the economic class, including 109,000 through federal high-skilled programmes (mainly Express Entry) and 91,500 through provincial nominee programmes. Temporary arrivals fall to 385,000, made up of 230,000 workers and 155,000 students. Within the worker total, 170,000 come under the International Mobility Program and 60,000 under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, according to IRCC.

Two programmes founders and senior engineers ask about are not available right now. The Start-up Visa is paused: only people holding a valid 2025 commitment certificate could apply, and their deadline was 30 June 2026, according to IRCC. And although Budget 2025 promised that “in the coming months the government will also launch an accelerated pathway for H1-B visa holders,” we could not find an IRCC page accepting applications for it on 4 October 2026, according to the Budget 2025 text. The 2023 open work permit for US H-1B holders reached its 10,000-application cap and is closed.

A practical plan for tech workers

1. Check your NOC code. Find out whether your job matches 21231, 21232, 21211 or another code on the GTS list. That decides whether an employer can use Category B.
2. Ask employers about GTS early. In interviews, ask whether the company has hired through the Global Talent Stream before, because an employer that knows the LMIA process moves faster. Browse current openings from official careers pages and AI and ML roles.
3. Build your CRS anyway. Create a profile, take an approved English test and, if you can, a French one. French has by far the lowest cut-offs in 2026.
4. Plan for the CEC. Twelve months of skilled work in Canada is the strongest single upgrade to your PR chances this year.
5. Watch the provinces. A nomination adds 600 points, and provinces run their own streams with their own occupation lists, so check official provincial sites for current intakes.
6. Compare the money honestly. Factor in taxes, housing and the cost of the move, not just the headline salary. Use our salary hike calculator to compare offers before you commit.

Bottom line

Canada still wants tech talent, but in 2026 it wants talent that is already in Canada. Express Entry rewards Canadian experience, French and provincial nominations, while the STEM category exists on paper but has not been used since April 2024. If you are abroad, the most reliable route is a Global Talent Stream offer, then a year of work, then a CEC invitation. It takes longer than a direct PR invitation, but it involves fewer surprises than the US lottery.

FAQ

Is there an Express Entry STEM draw in 2026?

Not so far. STEM remains one of IRCC’s 2026 categories, but no STEM-specific round was held between 1 January and 1 October 2026. The last one was on 11 April 2024.

What CRS score do I need in 2026?

Recent Canadian Experience Class rounds closed at 518 to 521. IRCC held no all-program draws for candidates without Canadian experience in 2026, so most overseas candidates need a nomination, French or Canadian work experience.

How fast is the Global Talent Stream?

ESDC’s standard is 10 business days for the LMIA, 80% of the time, and IRCC aims for 10 business days on the work permit. Real timelines also depend on document preparation and any biometrics appointment.

Can software developers use the Global Talent Stream?

Yes. Software engineers and designers (NOC 21231) and software developers and programmers (NOC 21232) are on Category B at the prevailing wage, as are data scientists (NOC 21211).

Does a job offer still add CRS points?

No. IRCC removed job-offer points from the CRS on 25 March 2025. A valid job offer can still exempt you from showing settlement funds.

Sources

1. IRCC, “Canada prioritizes top talent in 2026 immigration Express Entry categories”, 18 February 2026
2. IRCC, “Express Entry: category-based selection”, modified 22 June 2026
3. IRCC, “Express Entry rounds of invitations”, data to 1 October 2026
4. IRCC, “Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria”, modified 22 June 2026
5. IRCC, “Proof of funds: Express Entry”, modified 22 June 2026
6. ESDC, “Hire a highly-skilled foreign worker through the Global Talent Stream”, modified 16 September 2026
7. ESDC, “Program requirements for the Global Talent Stream”, modified 16 September 2026
8. ESDC, “Applicant guide for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Global Talent Stream”, accessed 4 October 2026
9. IRCC, “Fee list”, modified 21 September 2026
10. IRCC, “Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan”, 5 November 2025
11. IRCC, “Start-up Visa Program”, modified 21 July 2026
12. Government of Canada, “Budget 2025, Chapter 1: Building a stronger Canadian economy”, 4 November 2025
13. Fragomen, “Canada: Updates to Express Entry Category-Based Selection for 2026”, 19 February 2026
14. IRCC, “Attracting tech talent to Canada”, modified 24 April 2024

Featured image: Ottawa sets Canada's immigration levels and Express Entry categories. · Photo: Louie Luo / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

How this article was made: researched and drafted with AI assistance by the 100xFounder editorial desk, using only the sources listed in it; every figure links to its source. Read our editorial policy, or report an error through our corrections policy.

Sources (15)

1. IRCC 18 Feb 20262026 Express Entry categories; minister quote
2. IRCC 22 Jun 2026List of 10 categories, 12-month experience rule, STEM occupation table
3. IRCC 1 Oct 2026All 2026 draw sizes and CRS cut-offs; STEM draw history
4. IRCC 22 Jun 2026Job offer points removed 25 March 2025; PNP 600 points
5. IRCC 22 Jun 2026Proof of funds amounts effective 7 July 2025 and exemptions
6. ESDC 16 Sep 2026GTS 10-business-day standards for LMIA and work permit; Labour Market Benefits Plan
7. ESDC 16 Sep 2026Category A $80,000 floor; Category B occupations list
8. ESDC 4 Oct 2026$1,000 processing fee per position, not recoverable from worker
9. IRCC 21 Sep 2026Work permit, open work permit, biometrics, compliance and PR fees
10. IRCC 5 Nov 20252026 PR and temporary resident targets
11. IRCC 21 Jul 2026Start-up Visa paused; 30 June 2026 deadline
12. Government of Canada 4 Nov 2025Budget 2025 commitment to accelerated H-1B pathway
13. Fragomen 19 Feb 2026Experience requirement raised from six to 12 months
14. IRCC 24 Apr 20242023 H-1B open work permit closed; Global Skills Strategy two-week processing
15. IRCC 4 Oct 20262026 STEM category occupations exclude NOC 21231, 21232 and 21211