For many aspiring immigrants, Canada’s Express Entry system is the gateway to permanent residency. But among the most buzzed-about-and controversial-issues as we approach 2026 is whether “cooks”(NOC 63200) will be removed from the Trade Occupation category altogether.
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This isn’t mere speculation: changes in Express Entry categories and occupation lists are afoot, and while the government hasn’t formally confirmed a removal yet, several data points and policy signals suggest this could happen.
Current Status: Cooks in the Trade Category
In 2025, IRCC developed a new Trade Occupations category for targeted draws and added occupations to it. Nineteen trade occupations, including cooks, were listed on that roster as eligible for invitations.
This was a notable addition since “cooks” fall under the TEER Level 3 category, making them a skilled occupation under the immigration system in Canada.
But practical challenges inched their way in over the course of 2025.
Why This Became Controversial
The issue isn’t simply about eligibility. It’s about how the presence of cooks affects the integrity and purpose of the Trade category.
Here’s what’s been happening behind the scenes:
1. Cooks Dominating the Trade Pool
Based again on the data provided by immigration analysts to whom the IRCC has released the data, the profession that accounted for a disproportionately large number of applicants eligible for the Express Entry trade in 2025 was that of cooks. It was estimated that more than 50% of the trade ITAs may have to be allocated to cooks.
This means that other traditional skilled occupations, such as carpenters, welders, or electricians, are displaced, not because Canada does not need these people, but because cooks greatly outsource their number in this pool of potential immigrants.
2. No Trades Draw Yet in Late 2025
Despite the presence of major targets and announcements, Canada has not held more than a single major Trade Occupations draw by the end of 2025. This has made several applicants raise an eyebrow. This is because some people believe that the migration authority is reluctant to hold a major trade draw when there are cooks in the category, because the outcome would not be a representation of the intended priorities of the labour market.
3. Provincial Changes Signal a Broader Trend
Separate from federal Express Entry, New Brunswick’s provincial immigration program stopped endorsing cooks (and several related foodservice occupations) under provincial streams in 2025.
Although this doesn’t directly affect federal Express Entry, it is a real, quantifiable policy movement showing that certain provinces are already backing away from listing cooks for permanent immigration pathways.
Why Removal is on priority in 2026 on the Table?
- It is worth noting that the consultation papers published by IRCC for the 2026 strategy (now available for comments) specifically state that Express Entry should focus on occupations that address long-term labor shortages. New fields of occupations are being explored by the federal government (leadership, science, and innovation).
- However, trades remain relevant—but now the term “skilled trade” is being redefined not in terms of services like cooking but rather in terms of trades in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
- According to analysts, in case IRCC proceeds with the new occupation list for 2026, the cooking profession can be exempted on the following grounds:
- They fail to match critical infrastructure skill shortages (electricians, plumbers, welders, etc.).
- These students affect the graphs of draws and cause a cutoff to be made in favour of other professions.
• Provinces have been displaced by provinces in the Canadian nominee program.
Under-reported Fact: Labour Market Data vs. Immigration Categories
There’s a critical perspective that nobody ever discusses in the context of immigration:
The demand for labour cannot always be matched by Express Entry qualifications.
Based on workforce studies of the tourism industry, there seems to have been a real shortage of cooks in Canada that is seasonal and primarily found in urban areas of the hospitality industry, as opposed to nationwide shortages. At the same time, there are shortages of construction and technical workers that are ongoing and annual shortages that cannot be met by construction employers. Thus, having the trade of cooks remain eligible in the Express Entry system defies the purpose of the Express Entry system, economically speaking.
What This Means for Applicants
√ If kitchen professionals remain categorized in the industry category in 2026:
- Draw cut-offs may be higher due to large profile volumes.
- Trades people with low CRS rankings may have a hard time qualifying for invites.
✔ If cooks are withdrawn in 2026:
- The “Trade” category might find itself in a more competitive market, reflecting labor market shortages.
- The cut-off points for the CRS for traditional professions could decrease, providing better opportunities for such applicants.
Final take on this.
There is no official news about the removal of cooks from the Express Entry Trade category in 2026 yet. But there are several indicators related to the planning priorities of the Canadian government, the change in the provinces, and the pool, which make it entirely possible and likely to happen.
For job applicants, this means being aware and flexible: understanding how occupation lists are determined, monitoring updates to Labour Market Information, and planning your application strategy accordingly.
If you’d like, I could also create a comparison chart of what CRS scores and occupation inclusion would look like with and without cooks in the trade occupation category for 2026 – just let me know!
For more information related to your Noc identification and queries , you can contact us today.
