Record selection of medical professionals to Canada through Express Entry

4,000 healthcare professionals received invitations for permanent residency. The qualifying decreased, indicating a severe shortage of qualified staff in the field.

On July 22, a large-scale targeted draw took place within the Express Entry system, focusing on Healthcare and Social Services Occupations. A record-breaking 4,000 candidates received invitations to apply for permanent residence.

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 475 — the lowest qualifying score for healthcare workers since the beginning of 2025. Compared to the previous draw in this category, the score dropped significantly from 504 to 475, which, combined with an eight-fold increase in the number of invitations (from 500 to 4,000), indicates a dramatic shift in Canada's immigration strategy.

This draw clearly demonstrates Canada's critical need for healthcare and social service professionals. The scale of invitations points to a severe shortage of skilled workers in the healthcare system and the government's desire to quickly fill this gap.

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

The previous Healthcare and Social Services draw took place on June 4. At that time, the minimum passing score was 504, and 500 invitations were issued. The dramatic decrease in the passing score and the eight-fold increase in invitations in the July draw may indicate an urgent need to replenish the healthcare workforce.

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

To participate in the targeted draw, candidates must:

qualify for one of the three Express Entry programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker — for qualified 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 corresponding to your experience to be included in the list of candidates for draws in this category.

Which professions were included in the July Healthcare and Social Services draw?

The draw included the following specialties:

The record number of invitations and the lowest passing score since the beginning of the year highlight the critical importance of healthcare workers for the Canadian economy. Healthcare and social service professionals continue to be among the most in-demand for immigration to Canada.

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candidates with French language proficiency of B2 or higher;
teachers and education professionals;
technical and skilled trades workers;
STEM professionals;
agriculture sector workers.

If you're a healthcare or social service professional, book a consultation for immigration to Canada to assess your chances and develop an optimal strategy for obtaining permanent residence!

Source

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#record number of invitations

#reduction in passing score

#acute shortage of medical personnel

#targeted selection for Healthcare and Social Services

#in-demand medical specialties

#social workers

#expansion of the list of professions

#changes in Canada's immigration strategy

#immigration opportunities for healthcare workers

#priority categories for Express Entry