Category-based draws: what changed this year and who benefits

The headline cut-off score you see reported is for general rounds. Category-based rounds run alongside them, invite far fewer people, and routinely do so at scores that would never survive a general draw.

The categories currently favoured

• Healthcare and social services
• Skilled trades, including construction
• Education, particularly early childhood
• French-language proficiency
• Selected agriculture and agri-food occupations

What this means practically

If your occupation is on a list, stop optimising for the general cut-off. Build your profile around the category — the NOC code on your reference letters matters more than it ever has.