New Express Entry selection for healthcare workers and social workers

Canada has invited 500 healthcare professionals, with the required points dropping.

On June 4, a new targeted draw took place within the Express Entry system, focusing on Healthcare and Social Services Occupations. 500 candidates received invitations to apply for permanent residence.

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 504. Compared to the previous draw in this category, the score decreased, which may indicate reduced competition or a change in the candidate pool.

This draw further confirms that Canada continues to prioritize healthcare and social service professionals. Such targeted draws allow for faster invitations to needed professionals to support the healthcare and social assistance systems.

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

The previous Healthcare and Social Services draw took place on May 2. Then, the minimum passing score was 510, and 500 invitations were also issued. The decrease in the passing score for the June draw may indicate an adaptation of the immigration strategy to current labor market needs.

Who can participate in the Healthcare and Social Services category draw?

To participate in the targeted draw, candidates must:

be eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker — for skilled professionals;
- Canadian Experience Class — for candidates with Canadian work experience;
- Federal Skilled Trades — for skilled trades workers.
have verified work experience in healthcare or social services according to the NOC list;
correctly indicate their work experience and NOC code in their Express Entry profile.

It's important to correctly specify your NOC occupation code that matches your experience to be included in the candidate list for draws in this category.

Which professions are included in the Healthcare and Social Services category?

The category includes, among others:

family physicians and surgeons;
registered nurses and their supervisors;
psychologists, physiotherapists, pharmacists;
social workers and counselors;
other specialists in healthcare, supportive care, and laboratory medicine.

Even with a moderate decrease in the number of draws compared to fall 2024, healthcare and social service professionals continue to be among the most in-demand for immigration to Canada.