Healthcare Category-Based Express Entry Draws

What Is A Healthcare Express Entry Draw?

A Healthcare Express Entry draw is a category-based selection draw where IRCC invites candidates with work experience in targeted health-related occupations.

These draws aim to address Canada’s labour shortages in the healthcare sector. Eligible profiles with qualifying experience receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) even at lower CRS scores than general draws.

The healthcare category is one of the selected categories to be prioritized by IRCC during this year’s Express Entry draws.

Will there be a healthcare draw in 2026?

The Next Healthcare Draw: Prepare for Your ITA

While waiting in the pool, make sure you prepare for receiving your Invitation to Apply (ITA). Read our comprehensive article on how to be prepared in case you receive an ITA.

More resources for applicants for Healthcare draws waiting in the pool:

• Data on how long you could wait in the pool,
• Also, check our page for the next Express Entry Draw prediction, to get ready for the next Healthcare and Social Services Occupations draw.

Eligibility For Express Entry Healthcare Draws in 2026

To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based round, you must:

• Qualify for one of the three main immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), or Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
• Meet the minimum requirements for the round, including the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off and tiebreaker rules.

Additionally, you must have at least one year of full-time, cumulative work experience (or an equivalent in part-time work experience) in one single eligible occupation listed below. If your work experience spans multiple occupations, you will need to accumulate one year in a single occupation to qualify.

Occupations Eligible For Express Entry Healthcare Category Draws

To receive an invitation in a Healthcare-specific draw, you need to have at least one cumulative year of eligible work experience within the past three years.

Here is the list of current occupations and their specific NOC codes that are eligible for healthcare category-based draws under the Canadian Express Entry system:

How To Apply For Healthcare Express Entry Draws

Step 1: You must be eligible for Express Entry

The first step to getting invited to apply in a healthcare-specific draw is to get into the Express Entry pool.

There are three possible programs you can be eligible for to join the Express Entry pool of candidates:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST)

Generally, healthcare workers are most often eligible under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) if they have Canadian work experience. Each program has its own set of eligibility requirements, including work experience, education, and language ability.

You can check your eligibility to enter the Express Entry pool using our Immigration quiz.

Step 2: Enter Your Profile Into the Express Entry Pool

If you’re eligible, you can submit your candidate profile to the Express Entry pool.

To improve your chances, stay updated on Express Entry Candidate Pool trends to assess your competitiveness. You can find our analysis of the Express Entry pool here.

Step 3: Check Your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score

After submitting your profile, you will receive a CRS score. This score determines your ranking in the Express Entry pool and is based on factors like age, education, work experience, and language ability.

You can also check your CRS points using our free online CRS points calculator. The benefit of using our tool is that you get a detailed overview of where you get your points and how your score compares to others in the pool.

Step 4: You will be identified as eligible for a category.

If you meet the qualifying criteria for a healthcare-focused draw, your profile will be flagged as eligible for a healthcare-specific category-based Express Entry draw.

Step 5: Your profile will be ranked.

Your CRS will be ranked alongside other candidates in the pool, both generally and within the healthcare category.

Step 6: IRCC Completes an Express Entry Draw and Sends Invitations to Apply

Your eligibility for an invitation depends on your CRS score and the cut-off for the draw. If your CRS score meets or exceeds the cut-off, you will receive an invitation to apply.

Healthcare-specific draws, like general draws, have a CRS cut-off. If your score is below the cut-off, you will need to work on improving your CRS for future draws.

Final Steps: Apply for Permanent Residence

Once invited, you can submit your permanent residence application. If successful, you’ll be on your way to starting a new chapter in Canada. If not, use the time to enhance your profile and increase your CRS score for the next opportunity.

Your EE Healthcare Draws FAQs Answered

How often does IRCC hold healthcare draws?

There is no fixed schedule for healthcare category draws. The IRCC may prioritize these draws based on labour market needs and the number of invitations already issued for that specific category, which means they may occur irregularly.

Staying in the pool with an updated profile ensures you’re eligible whenever a draw occurs.

I have 6+ months of work experience in an eligible occupation. Am I eligible?

Not anymore. Starting February 18 of 2026, the minimum work experience increased from 6 months to 1 year.

This means there are two separate work experience requirements to meet:

• You must meet the work experience criteria for one of the three Express Entry programs (FSW, CEC, or FST). Each of these programs has different work experience requirements, usually between one and two years, andthis experience does not need to be in the field of Healthcare. You can check your eligibility using our CRS calculator.
• but you you must also have at least one year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience in an eligible Healthcare occupation within the last three years.

Important: the work experience used to qualify for the Express Entry program does not need to be in the same job as your experience in the Healthcare occupation category.

Does my primary occupation need to be in a healthcare occupation to be selected in a healthcare draw?

No. You don’t need your primary occupation to be in a healthcare occupation to be selected. You simply need at least one year of work experience in the last three years in a single eligible skilled healthcare occupation. 

When will I receive an ITA for a healthcare-specific draw?

This is up to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Canada holds Express Entry draws regularly, which could be all-program draws, program-specific draws, or category-based draws like healthcare-specific draws.

Healthcare workers with competitive scores are likely to be invited within 12 months of entering the pool. If your CRS score is low, you might consider a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which can add 600 points to your CRS score and virtually guarantee an ITA.

Will healthcare-specific Express Entry draws stop?

This depends on IRCC’s policies, but according to the last anouncemnts of the immigration minister,  healthcare draws will continue through 2026. 

If I have a healthcare occupation, does my CRS score still matter?

Yes. Your CRS score always matters. However, healthcare-specific draws often have a lower CRS cut-off compared to other draws types. For instance, healthcare draws in 2024 had a CRS cut-off in the 420-460 range, while the CEC CRS cut-off was higher than 510 for most draws in 2024.

My spouse qualifies for a healthcare-specific draw. Can my profile receive the ITA?

No. To receive an ITA in a healthcare-specific draw, the principal applicant must meet the eligibility criteria. If your spouse qualifies, they should create their own Express Entry profile and list themselves as the principal applicant.

Why Move to Canada as a Healthcare Worker?

Every year, healthcare workers from around the globe choose Canada for its high quality of life, overall safety, and welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds.

Canada is world-renowned for its healthcare system, which makes it an ideal place for healthcare professionals to launch their careers. Labour market insights for healthcare workers reveal the scope of labour shortages and worker prospects across Canada.

Canada is constantly recruiting healthcare professionals, as the sector is vulnerable to labour shortages. It is estimated that about 500,000 healthcare workers in Canada will retire within the next decade. Meanwhile, the national population is increasing. Put these trends together, and it’s clear why Canada is looking abroad for healthcare workers of all kinds. As of 2022, immigrants accounted for one out of every four healthcare sector workers in Canada. This share is set to increase over time.

Canada’s labour shortages could be your opportunity. Express Entry healthcare draws prioritise healthcare workers for permanent residency, which comes with the right to live anywhere in Canada and not be tied to any specific employer. Accompanying family members can also settle in Canada with the principal applicant.

How Can You Get a Healthcare Job In Canada?

The process of working in healthcare in Canada for foreign-trained workers is sometimes tricky due to credential recognition issues. The healthcare sector is regulated by the provincial and territorial governments in many instances.

While policies have been changing over the years to address credential recognition for foreign-trained healthcare workers, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the regulatory body for your profession in the province where you would like to work.