Canada Issues 271 Invitations to Physicians with Canadian Work Experience in Express Entry Draw

Canada has taken another significant step in addressing its healthcare workforce needs. On June 24, 2026, the federal government issued 271 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through a category-based Express Entry draw exclusively for Physicians with Canadian Work Experience. The lowest CRS score in this draw was just 223 one of the lowest scores seen in recent Express Entry history.

This is a major development for internationally trained doctors who are already working in Canada and are hoping to make this country their permanent home.

What Happened in This Draw?

Here are the key details from the latest round:

• Draw name: Physicians with Canadian Work Experience, 2026 – Version 1
• Date and time: June 24, 2026 at 14:00:30 UTC
• Total invitations issued: 271
• Lowest CRS score: 223
• Tie-breaking rule: Profiles submitted on or before May 31, 2026 at 18:13:49 UTC

Why Is This Important?

Canada is experiencing a serious shortage of healthcare professionals across the country. Category-based draws allow the federal government to directly target skilled workers in high-priority sectors and physicians are at the top of that list.

Unlike general draws, category-based rounds do not require the highest overall CRS scores. Instead, candidates are selected from a specific eligible group, which is why a score as low as 223 was sufficient in this round. This means that many doctors who may have felt out of reach of Express Entry now have a very real path to permanent residence.

Are You Eligible?

To have been eligible for this draw, candidates generally needed to:

• Hold an active Express Entry profile
• Have qualifying work experience as a physician in Canada
• Be eligible for one of the three core Express Entry programs (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades)

If you’re a physician currently working in Canada but haven’t yet created your Express Entry profile now is the time to act.