Canada Express Entry Skilled Trades Draws: Cooks Lead Numbers While Core Trades Face Challenges
- Surjeet Singh
- Sep 23
- 4 min read
Canada's Express Entry category-based draws have long promised targeted pathways for skilled trades professionals. In 2024, dedicated draws for welders, carpenters, and other high-demand occupations offered the prospect of lower CRS cut-offs and faster permanent residence. But as 2025 unfolds, a crucial shift has emerged: cooks have been folded into the "Trades" category, dramatically widening the candidate pool—and reshaping the competitive landscape.
The September 2025 Reality Check
On September 18, 2025, IRCC held its first trades draw in nearly 11 months, issuing 1,250 invitations with a minimum CRS score of 505. This marked a dramatic 72-point increase from the October 2024 trades draw, which had a cut-off of 433. The gap between draws allowed high-scoring candidates to accumulate in the pool, driving thresholds to unprecedented levels for trades categories.
ATIP Insights: The Numbers Don't Lie
According to Access to Information (ATIP) notes obtained by RCIC Mandeep Lidher, IRCC planned approximately 3,300 invitations for the Trades category in the second half of 2025. With 1,250 already issued in September, 2,050 ITAs remain for future draws before year-end.
However, the composition reveals the challenge facing core trades:
Projected 2025 Trades Distribution:
Cooks (NOC 63200): 57% → ~1,881 ITAs
Construction managers (NOC 0711): 17% → ~561 ITAs
Welders (NOC 7237): 2% → ~66 ITAs
Carpenters (NOC 7271): 2% → ~66 ITAs
Other trades: 22% → ~726 ITAs
Compare this to 2024, when cooks weren't even included in trades draws, and welders claimed 16% while carpenters took 13% of invitations.
The Cook Advantage in Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream
Cooks now dominate the trades category, claiming the majority share of available ITAs. This doesn't mean cooks receive preferential treatment in scoring—they simply represent the largest portion of the candidate pool. For a welder to reclassify as a cook wouldn't improve their individual chances; it's purely a numbers game where cooks benefit from volume.
The inclusion of cooks has essentially doubled the trades pool size, forcing IRCC to set higher CRS cut-offs to reach their targeted invitation numbers. While this benefits cooks through sheer allocation volume, it creates a bottleneck for traditional trades like welding and carpentry.
Why Core Trades Face an Uphill Battle
The original intent of category-based draws was to fast-track high-demand trades into permanent residence at lower CRS levels. Yet with only 132 combined ITAs for welders and carpenters versus nearly 1,900 for cooks, core trades professionals now confront:
Fierce competition: A tiny fraction of ITAs relative to cooks
Elevated CRS requirements: Recent draws at 505, compared to historic ranges of 388-436
Reduced benefit: The category advantage has been diluted by pool expansion
Strategic Pathways for Trades Professionals
Despite these challenges, several strategies can help navigate this environment:
1. Maximize CRS Points
Achieve CLB 9+ in language tests
Secure Educational Credential Assessment for foreign degrees
Leverage Canadian/Foreign work experience (adds significant CRS points)
Consider spouse's credentials if married
2. Pursue Provincial Nominee Programs
A PNP nomination adds 600 CRS points, effectively bypassing competitive federal draws. Provinces like British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta offer dedicated streams for welders, carpenters, and other in-demand trades.
3. Monitor Upcoming Draws
With 2,050 Trades invitations remaining for 2025, multiple draws are expected before year-end. However, CRS scores will likely remain elevated due to pool composition.
A Question of Category Design
This situation raises important policy questions that go beyond just separating occupational streams:
Should cooks have their own separate category? Canada's hospitality industry desperately needs skilled culinary professionals—we absolutely love our cooks and recognize their vital contribution to our economy and culture. The challenge isn't with cooks themselves, but with the categorical framework that pits high-volume occupations against smaller, specialized trades.
Here's an important clarification about chef eligibility: While cooks (NOC 63200) are directly eligible for trades draws, chefs (NOC 62200) are not. However, chefs can still qualify for trades draws if they have at least 6 months of cook experience within the last 3 years. This means career progression from cook to chef doesn't necessarily eliminate the trades pathway—it just requires demonstrating recent relevant experience in the qualifying occupation.
This creates an interesting dynamic where:
Current cooks have straightforward eligibility
Recently promoted chefs can still leverage their cook experience
Long-tenured chefs without recent cook experience may be excluded
Arguments for comprehensive reform:
Create separate "Hospitality" and "Construction Trades" categories
Allow more flexible experience requirements that recognize career progression
Tailor CRS thresholds to reflect industry-specific needs
Prevent competition between fundamentally different skill sets
The current system inadvertently creates competition between fundamentally different skill sets—a construction carpenter and a restaurant professional serve distinct economic needs and shouldn't necessarily compete for the same immigration slots.
The Broader Implications
The September 2025 draw demonstrates how policy shifts can have unintended consequences. While expanding trades draws to include cooks addresses hospitality sector needs, it simultaneously undermines opportunities for core trades professionals the category was originally designed to support.
Key takeaway: Canada's immigration system is becoming increasingly specialized, but occupational categories can be double-edged swords. What appears to be a pathway for specific trades can become diluted when broader occupational groups are included.
For trades professionals eyeing Canadian permanent residence, the message is clear: strengthen your profile through every available avenue, explore provincial options aggressively, and prepare for sustained competition.
For culinary professionals, the lesson is more nuanced: while cooks have gained a significant pathway, chefs can still potentially qualify by demonstrating recent cook experience within the past three years. It's a reminder to maintain documentation of all relevant work experience, as career progression doesn't always mean leaving previous qualifications behind.
The next trades draw may come soon, but success will require more than just occupational eligibility—it demands a comprehensive approach to maximizing competitiveness in an increasingly selective system. And perhaps it's time for IRCC to reconsider whether different occupational streams would better serve Canada's diverse economic needs while ensuring fair pathways for all skilled professionals.
Have questions about your specific situation or immigration pathway? Don't hesitate to contact us at Canadore Immigration. As a regulated Canadian immigration consultant based in Barrie, Ontario, we serve clients worldwide and will be happy to answer your questions and help you navigate Canada's evolving immigration landscape with expert guidance you can trust.
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