Canada continues to prioritize healthcare and social services professionals through its Express Entry system.
On September 4, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 3,500 candidates to apply for permanent residence through a category-based Express Entry draw targeting healthcare and social services occupations.
Candidates invited in this round needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 475. They also needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 12:26 a.m. UTC on May 26, 2026.
The latest draw provides another significant opportunity for eligible healthcare and social services professionals who are seeking Canadian permanent residence.
September 2026 Healthcare Express Entry Draw: Key Details
The September 4 draw had the following requirements:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Draw date | September 4, 2026 |
| Draw type | Healthcare and Social Services |
| Invitations issued | 3,500 |
| Minimum CRS score | 475 |
| Tie-breaking date | May 26, 2026 |
| Tie-breaking time | 12:26 a.m. UTC |
Candidates who received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) can now submit their permanent residence applications through Express Entry, provided they continue to meet the applicable requirements.
CRS Cut-Off Remains at 475
The CRS cut-off was 475 in the September 4 healthcare and social services draw.
This is the same CRS cut-off used in the previous healthcare and social services draw held on June 25, 2026, although the number of invitations decreased from 4,000 to 3,500.
Earlier in 2026, IRCC also held a healthcare and social services draw on February 20, issuing 4,000 invitations with a CRS cut-off of 467.
The draw history shows why healthcare professionals should continue monitoring Express Entry rather than relying on a single CRS threshold. Draw sizes and cut-off scores can change from one round to another.
Who Qualifies for Canada’s Healthcare and Social Services Category?
Being employed in healthcare does not automatically make someone eligible for a healthcare category-based Express Entry draw.
IRCC requires candidates to have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, within the previous three years in an eligible occupation.
The experience does not have to be continuous and can have been obtained in Canada or abroad.
Candidates must also meet the requirements of one of the Express Entry programs and satisfy the specific requirements of the category-based draw.
Eligible Healthcare Occupations
Canada’s healthcare and social services category covers a wide range of occupations.
Eligible occupations include:
Healthcare professionals
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- Specialists in surgery
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Dentists
- Optometrists
- Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- Pharmacists
- Dietitians and nutritionists
- Psychologists
- Chiropractors
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapists
- Nurse practitioners
Nursing and related healthcare occupations
- Nursing coordinators and supervisors
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
- Licensed practical nurses
- Paramedical occupations
- Respiratory therapists
- Medical laboratory technologists
- Medical radiation technologists
- Medical sonographers
- Cardiology technologists
- Pharmacy technicians
- Medical laboratory assistants
Other healthcare occupations
The category also includes:
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
- Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- Massage therapists
- Other medical technologists and technicians
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
Social services occupations
The category also covers:
- Social workers
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
- Social and community service workers
IRCC’s current category list includes occupations across TEER 1, TEER 2 and TEER 3, meaning eligibility is not limited only to physicians and highly specialized healthcare professionals.
Does Healthcare Work Experience Have to Be in Canada?
No.
One of the important features of the healthcare and social services category is that the required 12 months of qualifying work experience can be acquired in Canada or abroad.
This means an eligible healthcare professional who has worked outside Canada may potentially qualify for the category, provided they meet the other Express Entry requirements.
However, candidates must ensure that their actual work duties correspond to the appropriate National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupation. Simply having a job title that sounds similar to an eligible occupation is not enough.
Do Healthcare Workers Need Canadian Work Experience?
Not necessarily.
The healthcare and social services category is different from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) because the category requirement itself allows qualifying healthcare or social services work experience obtained outside Canada.
However, candidates still need to qualify for one of the immigration programs covered by Express Entry.
Depending on the candidate’s background, this could include the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Therefore, healthcare professionals should look at their overall Express Entry eligibility, not only their occupation.
Why Is Canada Targeting Healthcare and Social Services Workers?
Healthcare and social services remain important areas of Canada’s labour market.
When announcing the 2026 Express Entry categories, IRCC said category-based selection is designed to attract candidates with the skills and experience needed to address critical labour gaps.
Canada continued the healthcare and social services category in 2026, alongside other targeted categories such as French-language proficiency and trades.
The category allows IRCC to invite candidates based on specific skills and occupational experience rather than relying exclusively on general Express Entry draws.
Healthcare Express Entry Draws in 2026
The September draw was the third healthcare and social services Express Entry draw of 2026.
The year’s healthcare draws so far include:
| Date | Invitations | CRS Cut-Off |
|---|---|---|
| February 20, 2026 | 4,000 | 467 |
| June 25, 2026 | 4,000 | 475 |
| September 4, 2026 | 3,500 | 475 |
Across these three draws, IRCC issued 11,500 invitations to candidates in the healthcare and social services category.
This demonstrates the continued importance of healthcare and social services occupations within Canada’s 2026 economic immigration strategy.
What Should Healthcare Workers With a CRS Score Below 475 Do?
A CRS score below the latest cut-off does not necessarily mean that a candidate cannot receive an invitation in the future.
Express Entry cut-offs can change depending on:
- The number of candidates in the pool
- The number of invitations issued
- The type of draw
- Candidate profiles and CRS scores
- IRCC’s immigration priorities
Candidates with a CRS score below 475 may therefore want to explore ways to improve their ranking.
Potential strategies can include improving language test results, gaining additional eligible work experience, obtaining additional education or exploring eligible provincial nomination options.
A Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination can also have a major impact on a candidate’s Express Entry profile because an eligible nomination can significantly increase the CRS score.
What If You Already Received an Invitation?
If you received an ITA in the September 4 healthcare and social services draw, you should carefully review your Express Entry profile and supporting documents before submitting your permanent residence application.
You may need documents such as:
- Passport or travel documents
- Language test results
- Educational credential assessment, where applicable
- Employment reference letters
- Proof of qualifying work experience
- Police certificates
- Medical examination documentation
- Proof of funds, where applicable
- Other supporting documents requested by IRCC
Candidates should make sure that the information in their permanent residence application is accurate and consistent with the information in their Express Entry profile.
Providing incorrect or misleading information can have serious immigration consequences.
Express Entry Continues to Focus on Targeted Categories
The latest healthcare draw is part of a broader shift toward category-based selection within Express Entry.
For 2026, IRCC is continuing categories for healthcare and social services, French-language proficiency and trades, while also introducing categories such as transport occupations, physicians with Canadian work experience, senior managers with Canadian work experience, researchers with Canadian work experience and skilled military recruits.
This means candidates should not focus exclusively on general Express Entry CRS cut-offs.
An applicant’s occupation, work experience, language ability and other factors can determine whether they may benefit from a targeted category-based draw.
What This Healthcare Draw Means for Canadian Immigration Applicants
The September 4, 2026 healthcare and social services draw is another strong indication that Canada continues to use Express Entry to target workers in occupations considered important to the Canadian economy and public services.
With 3,500 ITAs issued at a CRS cut-off of 475, healthcare and social services professionals have another pathway to compete for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry.
However, meeting the CRS score alone is not enough. Candidates must also meet the requirements of the applicable Express Entry program and the healthcare and social services category.
For healthcare professionals in Canada or abroad, now may be a good time to review their Express Entry profile, NOC classification, language scores, work experience and CRS score.
Need Help With Your Express Entry Profile?
If you are a healthcare or social services professional interested in Canadian permanent residence, Transway Global Immigration can help you review your eligibility and explore potential Express Entry and provincial immigration options.
Our team can help assess your NOC, work experience, CRS score and overall immigration profile to determine which Canadian immigration pathways may be suitable for you.
Important: Express Entry requirements and category-based selection criteria can change. Applicants should always verify the latest requirements through official IRCC sources before submitting an application.
Official IRCC resources:
