- The Canadian government published a Phase 2 list of 84 occupations deemed in-demand with insufficient domestic labour supply
- The roles on the list span various sectors such as healthcare, construction, food services, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors
- Wages offered to temporary foreign workers must match what Canadian citizens and permanent residents earn for the same role
Canada has released a list of 84 in-demand occupations under its Recognised Employer Pilot (REP) Phase 2 programme, opening a pathway for temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to fill roles where there is not enough local labour supply.
The list, published by the Canadian government and last updated on March 2, 2026, covers positions across healthcare, skilled trades, agriculture, food processing, and service industries.
Source: Getty Images
Applications for positions on the list have been accepted since January 2024.
One key condition tied to the programme is that employers must pay foreign workers wages comparable to what Canadian citizens and permanent residents earn for the same job, at the same location, and with similar skills and experience.
The guidance is available on the official Government of Canada website.
Canada: Full list of 84 in-demand jobs
The following occupations are included in the Phase 2 REP list:
1. Engineering managers.
2. Architecture and science managers.
3. Industrial and manufacturing engineers.
4. Metallurgical and materials engineers.
5. Architects.
6. Landscape architects.
7. Urban and land use planners.
8. Land surveyors.
9. Nursing coordinators and supervisors.
10. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses.
11. Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine.
12. Specialists in surgery.
13. General practitioners and family physicians.
14. Veterinarians.
15. Optometrists.
16. Chiropractors.
17. Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating.
18. Dietitians and nutritionists.
19. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists.
20. Physiotherapists.
21. Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment.
22. Occupational therapists.
23. Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment.
24. Medical laboratory technologists.
25. Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations.
26. Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals.
27. Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians.
28. Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists.
29. Medical radiation technologists.
30. Medical sonographers.
31. Denturists.
32. Dental hygienists and dental therapists.
33. Dental technologists and technicians.
34. Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants.
35. Licensed practical nurses.
36. Paramedical occupations.
37. Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates.
38. Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants.
39. Other assisting occupations in support of health services.
40. Psychologists.
41. Therapists in counselling and related specialised therapies.
42. Police investigators and other investigative occupations.
43. Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations.
44. Light-duty cleaners.
45. Insurance agents and brokers.
46. Food service supervisors.
47. Chefs.
48. Cooks.
49. Butchers – Retail and wholesale.
50. Meat cutters and fishmongers – Retail and wholesale.
51. Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers.
52. Food and beverage servers.
53. Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations.
54. Welders and related machine operators.
55. Carpenters.
56. Cabinetmakers.
57. Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics.
58. Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics.
59. Machine fitters.
60. Elevator constructors and mechanics.
61. Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics.
62. Appliance servicers and repairers.
63. Electrical mechanics.
64. Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics.
65. Other small engine and small equipment repairers.
66. Residential and commercial installers and servicers.
67. Transport truck drivers.
68. Livestock labourers.
69. Harvesting labourers.
70. Specialised livestock workers and farm machinery operators.
71. Nursery and greenhouse labourers.
72. Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers.
73. Logging and forestry labourers.
74. Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers.
75. Fish and seafood plant workers.
76. Furniture and fixture assemblers, finishers, refinishers and inspectors.
77. Assemblers and inspectors of other wood products.
78. Labourers in mineral and metal processing.
79. Labourers in metal fabrication.
80. Labourers in chemical products processing and utilities.
81. Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing.
82. Labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing.
83. Labourers in food and beverage processing.
84. Labourers in fish and seafood processing.
Canada: How the REP programme works
Service Canada determines which occupations qualify for the REP list based on two criteria: that demand for the role is high and that there are not enough workers within Canada to fill available positions.
Employers seeking to hire through the programme must demonstrate compliance with local wage standards as part of their application requirements.
Legit.ng reported that Canada had listed six industries that had sought skilled foreign workers.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Canada had released a list of employers that are approved to hire workers across four Atlantic provinces.
Skilled workers eligible for Canadian express entry
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada had published the categories of skilled workers who qualify for its express entry.
IRCC announced it on its official X account on October 14, 2026, and it quickly drew significant attention, accumulating over 666,000 views on the platform.
IRCC said it is looking to recruit experienced skilled workers to strengthen key sectors of the Canadian economy.
Source: Legit.ng