Canada conducted a new Express Entry draw for healthcare workers

500 healthcare professionals have been invited to become permanent residents.

On May 2, 2025, a new Express Entry draw took place for Healthcare and Social Services Occupations. 500 candidates received invitations to apply for permanent residence.

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 510, which is 47 points higher than the previous draw in this category. This increase indicates growing competition among healthcare professionals.

This draw followed the first-ever draw for Education Occupations on May 1, 2025, which issued 1000 invitations with a minimum CRS score of 479.

Want to know how many points you could score? Use our free CRS calculator to assess your chances!

The previous Healthcare and Social Services draw took place on November 20, 2024. At that time, 3000 candidates were invited, with a minimum CRS score of 463. The significant reduction in invitations (from 3000 to 500) and the higher CRS score may indicate a shift in Canada's immigration priorities.

Who can apply for immigration under the Healthcare and Social Services category?

To participate in the Healthcare and Social Services draw, candidates must:

Meet the requirements of one of the three Express Entry programs:
Have work experience in one of the eligible healthcare or social service occupations;
Correctly indicate their work experience in their Express Entry profile using the appropriate NOC (National Occupational Classification) codes.

When creating an Express Entry profile, it's crucial to use the correct NOC code that matches your work experience so the system can identify you as eligible for Healthcare and Social Services draws.

List of occupations in the Healthcare and Social Services category

The Healthcare and Social Services category includes the following occupation groups:

General practitioners and family physicians;
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine;
Surgical specialists;
Registered nurses;
Dentists;
Pharmacists;
Psychologists;
Chiropractors;
Physiotherapists;
Nursing coordinators and supervisors;
Physician assistants, midwives, and allied health professionals;
Social workers;
Counselling therapists;
Social service workers;
As well as other medical and technical specialties (lab technicians, assistants).

The Healthcare and Social Services category remains a priority in Canadian immigration policy. Despite the reduced number of invitations in this draw, medical professionals continue to be in high demand in the Canadian job market.