Canada Express Entry 2025: Cooks Rise as a Top Occupation in the Pool

If you’re a skilled worker planning to immigrate to Canada, now might be the best time to sharpen your knives—literally. According to recent analyses of the 2025 Express Entry pool, cooks have emerged as the second most common occupation among candidates. This reflects a powerful trend in Canada’s labour market: the growing demand for skilled trades and service professionals in the hospitality sector.

🔍 A Closer Look at the Express Entry Pool

The Express Entry system, Canada’s flagship immigration selection process for skilled workers, uses a points-based approach to invite candidates to apply for permanent residency. In 2023, IRCC introduced category-based draws, targeting candidates with specific skills, language abilities, or work experience. This approach continues into 2025—and chefs are near the top of the list.

While IT and healthcare occupations have traditionally dominated, hospitality roles like chefs and cooks are gaining significant ground. The presence of chefs in the top 3 occupations within the Express Entry pool is a strong signal that Canada needs more food service professionals to support its tourism and restaurant industries.

🧑‍🍳 Why Are Chefs and Cooks in High Demand?

Canada’s food and hospitality sector has been facing chronic labour shortages, especially post-COVID. Restaurants, hotels, and catering services across the country are struggling to find skilled staff. Provinces like British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba continue to nominate chefs and cooks through their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and several category-based Express Entry draws have focused on trades and hospitality occupations.

What makes chefs and cooks especially attractive candidates?

• Many chefs bring certified trade skills.

• They can qualify under the Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program.

• Some also bring French language skills, making them eligible for Francophone-targeted draws.

  
  

💼 What This Means for Aspiring Immigrants

If you’re a cook or chef—or working towards becoming one—this is a golden opportunity. While the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score still matters, being in a high-demand occupation could improve your chances of being selected through a category-based draw.

And here’s more good news:

Even if your CRS score isn’t competitive enough for general draws (often 480+), the targeted nature of these selections means that candidates in in-demand roles like chefs could receive invitations with lower scores, sometimes in the 350–400 range.

✅ Tips for Chefs Applying through Express Entry

• Ensure your work experience aligns with the NOC 62200 (Chefs) or 63200 (Cooks) under the TEER 2 or 3 categories.

• Prepare language test results (IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF/TCF for French).

• If applicable, gain provincial certification or trade credentials.

• Monitor the IRCC website for upcoming category-based draw announcements.

  
  

Final Thoughts

Canada’s labour market is changing, and the immigration system is adapting with it. The rise of chefs as a top-ranked occupation in the Express Entry pool highlights the country’s practical, forward-looking approach to immigration. If you’re a culinary professional, your skills are more valuable than ever—and Canada may be the right place to bring them.

Wants to know more? Book a consultation now!

Canada Express Entry 2025: Cooks Rise as a Top Occupation in the Pool