Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry Draw 408 on April 2, 2026, issuing 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Trades Occupations category (2026 – Version 3). The minimum CRS cut-off was 477 points, with a tie-breaking date of February 14, 2026, at 20:53:54 UTC.
Draw 408 is the first Trades Occupations draw of 2026 and the first in 197 days — the previous Trades round was Draw 368 on September 18, 2025, which issued 1,250 ITAs at CRS 505. With 3,000 ITAs issued at CRS 477, Draw 408 is both the largest and most accessible Trades draw in the category’s history. It is the twentieth Express Entry draw of 2026, bringing the year-to-date total to 58,830 ITAs.
For electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, pipefitters, machinists, and the other 21 eligible trade occupations worldwide, Draw 408 is a defining signal: Canada has a purpose-built, high-volume immigration pathway specifically designed for skilled tradespeople that clears at CRS 477 — 30-32 points below the CEC threshold. Tradespeople who have been watching Q1 2026’s CEC and French draws from the sidelines finally have a dedicated round, and its terms are the most generous the Trades category has ever offered.
Key Details of Express Entry Draw 408
| Draw Number | 408 |
| Date | April 2, 2026 |
| Category | Trades Occupations (2026 – Version 3) |
| Invitations Issued | 3,000 |
| CRS Cut-off Score | 477 |
| Tie-breaking Rule | February 14, 2026, at 20:53:54 UTC |
Context: First Trades Draw in 197 Days
Draw 408 arrives 197 days after the previous Trades draw. All 19 draws between September 2025 and March 2026 were CEC, French, PNP, healthcare, physicians, or senior managers rounds — none targeted Trades. Trades workers in the pool have been waiting since Q3 2025 for a dedicated round. Draw 408 is that return, and it arrived with significantly more generous terms:
• Draw 368 (September 18, 2025): 1,250 ITAs | CRS 505 | Trades Occupations Version 2
• Draw 408 (April 2, 2026): 3,000 ITAs | CRS 477 | Trades Occupations Version 3
The 1,750 additional ITAs represent a 140% increase in volume. The 28-point CRS reduction makes Draw 408 more accessible than any previous Trades draw since 2024. Both improvements stem from the same structural change: the removal of Cooks and Chefs from the eligible list in Version 3, which fundamentally reshaped the competitive sub-pool.
Why Removing Cooks Lowered the CRS Cut-off
The most counterintuitive aspect of Draw 408 is that removing eligible occupations (Cooks and Chefs) from the category actually lowered the CRS cut-off. Understanding why requires looking at who was in the Trades pool before 2026.
Prior to Version 3, Cooks (NOC 63200) were one of the most numerous occupation groups in the Trades-eligible pool. IRCC’s own modelling showed that in a hypothetical 2,000-ITA Trades draw from the January 2025 pool, approximately 1,121 of those ITAs would have gone to cooks — nearly 56% of all Trades invitations. Cooks had a median CRS of approximately 419, while other construction and industrial trades workers had a median CRS of approximately 399.
| Scenario | ITA Distribution | Median CRS | Implication |
| With cooks eligible (pre-2026 pool) | ~56% of 2,000 ITAs (approx. 1,121) to cooks | ~419 (cooks) / ~399 (other trades) | Cooks dominated the eligible pool |
| Without cooks (2026 Version 3) | All ITAs to construction/industrial trades | 477 | Smaller, more targeted pool; lower CRS despite fewer eligible candidates |
By removing cooks and chefs, IRCC created a smaller but more homogeneous Trades-eligible sub-pool composed entirely of construction and industrial trade workers who, on average, score lower than cooks did. To fill 3,000 ITAs from this new, lower-scoring pool, the CRS cut-off settles at 477 — lower than when cooks’ higher CRS scores were pulling the threshold up. The Version 3 Trades category is therefore simultaneously more targeted and more accessible for the actual construction and industrial trades workers it was always primarily designed to serve.
IRCC replaced cooks with one new addition: Butchers and Meat Cutters (NOC 63201), which moved from the retired Agriculture and Agri-Food category into Trades. For butchers working in retail or wholesale, this is a meaningful pathway preservation — they were not left without an immigration route when Agriculture was retired.
Trades Draw History: Draw 408 in Context
| Draw # | Date | CRS | ITAs | Version | Tie-breaking Date |
| 408 | Apr 2, 2026 | 477 | 3,000 | Version 3 | Feb 14, 2026 |
| 368 | Sep 18, 2025 | 505 | 1,250 | Version 2 | Nov 5, 2024 |
| 321 | Oct 23, 2024 | 433 | 1,800 | Version 1 | Mar 12, 2024 |
| 300 | Jul 4, 2024 | 436 | 1,800 | Version 1 | Jul 16, 2023 |
Draw 408’s 477 CRS is the second-lowest in Trades draw history, above only the very first Trades draw in August 2023 (CRS 388, 1,800 ITAs). The September 2025 draw’s 505 cut-off was elevated by the cooks sub-pool — without that distortion, 477 is the natural baseline for construction and industrial trades workers in the 2026 pool composition. Future Trades draws will tell us whether this holds, rises, or falls, but 477 establishes the Version 3 competitive benchmark.
2026 Express Entry ITAs by Category (as of April 2, 2026)
| Category | Draws | ITAs | % of Total |
| Canadian Experience Class | 6 | 30,250 | 51.4% |
| French-Language Proficiency | 3 | 18,000 | 30.6% |
| Healthcare and Social Services | 1 | 4,000 | 6.8% |
| Trades Occupations | 1 | 3,000 | 5.1% |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 7 | 2,939 | 5.0% |
| Physicians with Canadian Work Exp. | 1 | 391 | 0.7% |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Exp. | 1 | 250 | 0.4% |
| Total | 20 | 58,830 | 100% |
Trades Occupations enters the 2026 ITA breakdown as the fourth category with a dedicated draw. At 3,000 ITAs (5.1% of the total), it sits behind CEC (51.4%), French (30.6%), and Healthcare (6.8%) but ahead of all PNP draws combined (5.0%). The addition of Trades alongside Healthcare signals that IRCC’s Q2 strategy includes broadening category-based draws beyond the CEC and French pathways that dominated Q1.
Express Entry Pool Composition (March 29, 2026)
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
| 601-1200 | 351 |
| 501-600 | 12,506 |
| 451-500 | 73,445 |
| 401-450 | 64,104 |
| 351-400 | 52,736 |
| 301-350 | 18,855 |
| 0-300 | 8,189 |
| Total | 230,186 |
At CRS 477, Draw 408 reached candidates from the middle of the 451-500 band (73,445 candidates) — the largest band in the pool. For trades workers with qualifying NOC codes and CRS scores in the 477-500 range, this draw provided access to permanent residence that the CEC threshold (507-509) would not have provided for some time. The 73,445 candidates in the 451-500 band include a subset of eligible Trades workers — Draw 408’s 3,000 ITAs meaningfully cleared that segment.
Key Statistics: 2026 Express Entry (as of April 2, 2026)
• Total ITAs issued in 2026: 58,830 across 20 draws (Draws 389-408)
• Draw 408 is the first Trades draw of 2026 and first since September 18, 2025 (197 days)
• 3,000 ITAs — largest Trades draw ever; 140% more than the September 2025 round
• CRS 477 — 28 points lower than September 2025 draw (505); second-lowest Trades CRS ever
• Cooks and Chefs removed from Version 3; Butchers (NOC 63201) added
• Minimum work experience raised to 12 months (from 6 months) effective February 18, 2026
• Foreign work experience qualifies — no Canadian work experience required for Trades category
• 25 eligible NOC codes covering construction, industrial, mechanical, and energy trades
• Draw 408 is the 20th Express Entry draw of 2026 — an average of one draw every 4.5 days
Understanding the Trades Occupations Category
What Is the Trades Occupations Category?
The Trades Occupations category is one of ten active category-based selection streams in Express Entry for 2026. Unlike the CEC (which requires Canadian work experience) or French draws (which require language test scores at NCLC 7), the Trades category targets candidates based on occupation — specifically, work experience in skilled construction and industrial trades that Canada needs to address acute labour shortages in housing, infrastructure, and energy.
Canada’s shortage of skilled trades workers is structural and growing. An aging trades workforce, declining apprenticeship enrolment, and a surge in construction and infrastructure demand have created persistent vacancies across residential construction, commercial building, pipeline infrastructure, industrial manufacturing, and public works. Domestic training programs cannot fill the gap quickly enough, making immigration a central part of Canada’s trades workforce strategy.
The 25 Eligible NOC Codes for the Trades Category (2026 Version 3)
To qualify for the Trades Occupations category, candidates must have at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience within the last three years in one of the following 25 occupations. The experience can have been gained in Canada or abroad:
| NOC Code | Occupation Title |
| 72100 | Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors |
| 72101 | Tool and die makers |
| 72102 | Sheet metal workers |
| 72103 | Boilermakers |
| 72104 | Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters |
| 72105 | Ironworkers |
| 72106 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 72200 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians |
| 72203 | Power system electricians |
| 72300 | Plumbers |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 72302 | Gas fitters |
| 72310 | Carpenters |
| 72311 | Cabinetmakers |
| 72320 | Bricklayers |
| 72400 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 72402 | Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics |
| 72403 | Elevator constructors and mechanics |
| 72422 | Electrical mechanics |
| 82021 | Supervisors, oil and gas drilling and service |
| 83112 | Water well drillers |
| 92100 | Power engineers and power systems operators |
| 63201 | Butchers and meat cutters – retail and wholesale (added Feb 2026) |
Your job title does not need to match the NOC occupation title exactly. What matters is that your actual duties substantially align with the lead statement and main duties in the NOC description. IRCC applies approximately an 80% alignment standard — you must have performed most of the key duties listed, not necessarily every one. An apprentice electrician who performed the same core duties as a journeyperson would be classified under the same NOC code.
2026 Changes to the Trades Category: What Is New
The February 18, 2026 ministerial announcement introduced three specific changes to the Trades category for Version 3:
• Cooks (NOC 63200) removed: Cooks were among the most numerous occupation groups in the Trades pool, consistently capturing more than half of all Trades ITAs. Their removal refocuses the category entirely on construction and industrial trades
• Chefs (NOC 62200) removed: Similarly removed, ensuring food service management no longer qualifies under Trades
• Butchers and Meat Cutters – Retail and Wholesale (NOC 63201) added: Moved from the retired Agriculture and Agri-Food category, preserving a pathway for butchers within the Trades framework
• Minimum work experience raised from 6 months to 12 months: Effective February 18, 2026, candidates need 12 months of qualifying Trades experience within the last three years. This applies to all renewed categories in 2026
Eligibility: Two Separate Requirements to Meet
Qualifying for the Trades category requires meeting TWO independent sets of criteria:
Requirement 1 – Express Entry Program Eligibility: Hold an active profile under FSWP, CEC, or FSTP. The work experience used to qualify for the program does not need to be in trades.
Requirement 2 – Trades Category Eligibility:
• At least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent) paid work experience in one of the 25 eligible Trades NOC codes within the last three years
• Work experience can be gained anywhere in the world — Canada is not required (this distinguishes Trades from CEC, Physicians, Senior Managers, and Researchers, which all require Canadian experience)
• The experience must have been performed in a country where the candidate was qualified to practise the trade
• Job duties must substantially align with the NOC lead statement and main duties
The global eligibility for Trades work experience is one of the category’s most significant advantages. An electrician who spent 14 months working in the UAE, a welder with 2 years of experience in Germany, or a plumber with 18 months in India can all qualify for the Trades category — provided they also meet the requirements of at least one Express Entry program.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): The Dedicated Express Entry Pathway
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is designed specifically for skilled trades workers and is often the most appropriate Express Entry program for Trades category candidates:
• Work experience: At least 2 years of full-time skilled trades experience within the 5 years before applying — in an FSTP-eligible occupation (NOC Major Groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 92, or 93, excluding Sub-Major Group 726 and 932)
• Language: Minimum CLB 5 in speaking and listening, CLB 4 in reading and writing — lower than FSWP requirements
• Job offer OR certification: Either a valid job offer of at least one year from a Canadian employer in a qualifying trade, OR a certificate of qualification in the trade issued by a Canadian province or territory (including Red Seal certification)
• No education requirement: Unlike FSWP, the FSTP does not require any minimum level of education and does not require an ECA for foreign credentials
The FSTP’s lower language requirements (CLB 5/4 versus FSWP’s higher minimums) make it accessible to trades workers whose language proficiency reflects practical workplace fluency rather than academic test performance. Candidates who qualify under FSTP can combine this with Trades category eligibility to access draws like Draw 408 regardless of whether their CRS reaches the CEC threshold.
After Receiving a Trades ITA: Key Documents
Candidates who received an ITA in Draw 408 have 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application (by approximately June 1, 2026). Critical documents for Trades applicants:
• Proof of qualifying Trades work experience: Reference letters on company letterhead for each qualifying employer, confirming job title, NOC code, hours per week, salary, dates of employment, and main duties aligned with the NOC description. International employers may require additional authentication or certified translation
• Trade certification (if applying under FSTP): Provincial or territorial certificate of qualification (Red Seal or equivalent), or proof of a valid Canadian job offer of at least one year
• Language test results: Valid IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General (English), or TEF Canada / TCF Canada (French) within two-year validity
• ECA (if claiming foreign education under FSWP): From an IRCC-approved organisation
• Police clearance certificates: From Canada and all countries of residence for 6 months or more since age 18
• Medical examination: From an IRCC-designated physician
• Proof of settlement funds (FSWP applicants without a Canadian job offer)
• Valid passport
For tradespeople with overseas work experience, reference letters from foreign employers may need certified translation into English or French. Allow extra time for this — the 60-day window is firm. For candidates from countries with less standardised employment documentation practices, working with a licensed immigration consultant to ensure reference letters meet IRCC’s standards is strongly advisable.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a cook with 3 years of experience. Am I still eligible for Express Entry?
Not through the Trades category after February 18, 2026 — Cooks (NOC 63200) were removed from the Trades eligible list in Version 3. However, cooks are not excluded from Express Entry altogether. If you have Canadian work experience in a qualifying NOC TEER 0-3 occupation, the CEC pathway remains available. If your overseas experience meets FSWP requirements (67-point minimum under the six-factor assessment), FSWP is another option. Provincial nominee programs also have streams for food service workers in some provinces. Cooks should monitor whether IRCC introduces a new category or reinstates food service occupations in a future Trades version. The removal is category-specific, not program-specific.
I am an electrician with 14 months of experience in the UAE. I have never worked in Canada. Do I qualify?
Potentially yes — the Trades category explicitly allows overseas work experience to count toward category eligibility. The key requirements are: your UAE experience must be in a qualifying NOC code (NOC 72200 or 72201 for electricians), must total at least 12 months of full-time paid work within the last three years, and must have been performed while you were qualified to practise as an electrician in the UAE. You also need to qualify for at least one Express Entry program — without Canadian experience, FSWP is your most likely option if you have sufficient FSWP points (minimum 67 under the six selection factors). FSTP is another option if you can secure a Canadian employer job offer for at least one year in your trade. Your profile should accurately reflect your electrical NOC code and overseas experience dates.
My CRS is 460. How realistic is it that a future Trades draw will reach me?
Draw 408’s cut-off was 477, placing 460 seventeen points below the current threshold. Whether a future draw reaches 460 depends on draw volume and pool composition. Larger draws (4,000+ ITAs) would push the cut-off lower; smaller draws would hold it near 477 or higher. Historically, Trades draws have ranged from 388 to 505 — 460 is within the plausible range for a larger-volume draw. While waiting, the most effective actions are: retaking your language test to improve CRS (each CLB level improvement adds 5-15 points), verifying your NOC code is correct and your profile is accurate, and exploring provincial nominee programs — several provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia) actively nominate trades workers and a nomination adds 600 CRS points.
What is a Red Seal and how does it affect my Express Entry application?
The Red Seal Program (Interprovincial Standards Program) is Canada’s national certification standard for skilled trades. A Red Seal certificate is issued by a provincial or territorial authority and confirms that you have met the national standard for your trade. In the context of FSTP eligibility, a Red Seal certificate counts as a certificate of qualification in your trade — one of the two required elements for FSTP (along with a Canadian job offer). This means Red Seal certified tradespeople can qualify for FSTP and access Trades category draws without needing a job offer. Red Seal certification does not directly add CRS points, but it strengthens your documentation significantly and may improve your attractiveness as a PNP nominee in provinces with trades nomination streams.
Can apprenticeship experience count toward the Trades category requirement?
Yes. IRCC explicitly recognises paid apprenticeship work experience as qualifying for the Trades category. Apprentices who were paid wages for their work and performed the duties listed in the relevant NOC code can count that time toward the 12-month experience requirement. Unpaid training periods and classroom-based instruction do not count, but paid apprenticeship work — which is the standard in Canadian and most international apprenticeship systems — fully qualifies. A 4-year apprenticeship graduate who completed their training and has been working as a journeyperson has easily more than the required 12 months of qualifying experience.
I am a carpenter in Canada on a work permit. Should I apply under CEC or wait for a Trades draw?
Both options may be available and the best strategy depends on your CRS score. At CRS 509+: you are above the current CEC threshold and may receive a CEC ITA before the next Trades draw. At CRS 477-508: you were in range for Draw 408 specifically — if your profile was active and your Trades NOC code was accurate, you should have been eligible. Future Trades draws will continue at similar or lower CRS thresholds. At CRS below 477: the Trades draw did not reach you this time, but improving language scores or pursuing a PNP nomination are the fastest parallel strategies. In all cases, ensure your profile accurately reflects both your CEC-eligible Canadian work experience and your Trades category-eligible occupation under the correct NOC code. A well-maintained profile participates in both draw types simultaneously.
The Bottom Line
Express Entry Draw 408 issued 3,000 ITAs to Trades Occupations candidates at CRS 477 on April 2, 2026 — the first Trades draw of the year, the largest in the category’s history, and the second most accessible in terms of CRS threshold. The removal of Cooks and Chefs from the eligible list in Version 3 reshaped the competitive pool, producing a draw that goes directly and exclusively to the construction and industrial trades workers that Canada’s housing crisis, infrastructure agenda, and industrial economy most urgently need.
Draw 408 signals clearly that IRCC’s Q2 2026 strategy extends beyond the CEC and French pathways that dominated Q1. With Trades now added to the active draw mix alongside Healthcare, Senior Managers, and Physicians, skilled workers in specific in-demand occupations have dedicated pathways at CRS thresholds well below the 507-509 CEC floor. For the 25 eligible trade occupations — from electricians and plumbers to boilermakers and power engineers — Canada’s immigration door is open, and it opens at 477.
At Earnest Immigration, our licensed consultants help Trades candidates verify their NOC code eligibility, assess Express Entry program qualification under FSWP, CEC, or FSTP, navigate overseas employer reference letter requirements, and prepare complete permanent residence applications within the 60-day ITA window. Whether you received an ITA in Draw 408, are preparing your profile for future Trades draws, or want to understand how the Trades category fits your broader immigration strategy, the Earnest Immigration team is here to guide you. Contact us today for a comprehensive profile assessment.
