Priority work permit processing for certain occupations

Applicants in certain occupations designated as delivering or supporting “essential services” in Canada may receive priority processing of their work permit applications.

This expedited processing covers employer-specific work permits, including but not limited to:

• Work permits based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA);
• Francophone Mobility work permits;
• International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits.

This article covers which occupations currently receive priority work permit processing, how eligible workers can benefit in practice, and how these occupations translate into category-based selection eligibility under Express Entry.

Occupations eligible for priority work permit processing

These essential occupations are set out below, with their corresponding National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.

They are concentrated in certain sectors and correspond to persistent labour market gaps in Canada where recruitment has historically lagged behind.

Health care occupations

Agriculture and agri-food occupations

How can applicants in these occupations receive priority processing?

Occupation-based priority processing at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is not a separate application stream that candidates apply to—it is triggered by how the applicant completes their work permit application.

To be considered, applicants must apply for an employer-specific work permit in an eligible occupation (based on IRCC’s priority NOC list).

In practice, applicants should:

• Use the exact NOC code attached to the job offer (the NOC code the applicant’s employer used in the offer of employment on the Employer Portal or on the LMIA, where applicable).
• Enter only that NOC code in the “Job title” field of the work permit form, in the Details of intended work in Canada section (“Box 4” on the PDF form).
• Ensure consistency across documents (the job offer/LMIA, the duties of the role and the NOC code) so that the application can be routed correctly.

Because the process depends on a specific job and a specific NOC code linked to an employer, it does not generally apply to open work permits (such as the Post-graduation work permits or the International Experience Canada Working Holiday permit), which are not tied to a specific employer or position.

Do workers in these occupations find it easier to obtain Canadian permanent residence?

Workers in these occupations who qualify for Express Entry may have an easier time obtaining Invitation to Apply (ITA) cho permanent residence (PR).

Some of the occupations included on the expedited work permit processing list are also among those listed in the Express Entry occupational categories.

Candidates with a valid Express Entry profile who have gained at least six months of work in these occupations (in Canada or abroad) can often receive an ITA for PR through the system with a score The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) lower than that required of candidates who do not qualify for one of these categories.

Of the health care occupations listed for priority work permit processing, all are included in the Express Entry health care category, apart from Police investigators and other investigative occupations (41310).

Of the agriculture and agri-food occupations listed for priority work permit processing, only one is included in the corresponding Express Entry category—Butchers – retail and wholesale (63201).