Express Entry Healthcare Draw Sept 2026: 3,500 ITAs at CRS 475

Canada’s latest Express Entry healthcare draw was held on 4 September 2026, when Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 3,500 candidates in healthcare and social services jobs to apply for permanent residence. The minimum CRS score was 475. A day earlier, on 3 September, a separate round for physicians with Canadian work experience invited 229 candidates with a minimum score of 198.

Key facts

• 4 September 2026 (round 441): Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 3,500 invitations, minimum CRS 475.
• Tie-break for the healthcare round: profiles created before 26 May 2026 at 00:26:14 UTC.
• 3 September 2026 (round 440): Physicians with Canadian Work Experience, 229 invitations, minimum CRS 198.
• Eligible healthcare jobs include registered nurses (NOC 31301), licensed practical nurses (NOC 32101) and nurse aides (NOC 33102).
• For comparison, Canadian Experience Class rounds in September 2026 needed 518 to 521 points.

What changed

These are new invitation rounds under rules IRCC set for 2026. Healthcare and social services is one of 10 Express Entry categories for 2026. The physicians category is new this year. IRCC announced it in February 2026 as a category for foreign doctors with Canadian work experience.

The healthcare cut-off of 475 is more than 40 points below the CEC cut-offs seen in September. The physicians round needed only 198 points, because it was limited to a small group of doctors already working in Canada.

Who is affected

Healthcare and social services category. IRCC says you need at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time) in one eligible occupation within the past 3 years. The experience can be in Canada or abroad and does not need to be continuous. Examples on IRCC’s list include:

• registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301);
• licensed practical nurses (NOC 32101);
• nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102);
• general practitioners and family physicians (NOC 31102);
• pharmacists (NOC 31120).

Physicians with Canadian work experience. You need the same 12 months within 3 years, but the work must be in Canada. Eligible codes are specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (31100), specialists in surgery (31101) and general practitioners and family physicians (31102).

In both cases you must also qualify for an Express Entry program and have a profile in the pool.

What it means for Nepali and Indian applicants

Nursing is a common career for Nepali and Indian students and workers. Because the healthcare category accepts experience gained abroad, a nurse who worked in Nepal, India or the Gulf may qualify for the category, if they also meet the rules of an Express Entry program. Nurse aides and personal support-type roles are also on the list, under NOC 33102.

Being in the category is only one step. Working as a nurse in Canada usually needs a licence from the provincial regulator, which is a separate process. Being invited to apply for permanent residence does not give you a licence to practise.

For international graduates already in Canada, a healthcare job may give access to rounds with lower scores than CEC. For general CRS background, see our Express Entry CRS cut-off 2026 guide.

What to do now

1. Find your exact NOC code on IRCC’s category-based selection page and compare your duties with it.
2. Check that you have 12 months of full-time (or equal part-time) work in one eligible job within the last 3 years.
3. Make sure you meet the rules of at least one Express Entry program.
4. Collect employer letters showing your job title, duties, hours, pay and dates.
5. If you plan to work as a nurse in Canada, research the licensing body in the province where you want to live.

What we don’t know yet

IRCC does not announce future category rounds in advance. We do not know when the next Express Entry healthcare draw will be held, or its size.

Frequently asked questions

What was the CRS score in the September 2026 Express Entry healthcare draw?

The 4 September 2026 round needed a minimum of 475 points. IRCC invited 3,500 candidates.

Can nurses outside Canada qualify for the healthcare category?

IRCC says experience for this category can be gained in Canada or abroad. You still need to meet the rules of an Express Entry program.

Why was the physicians round score only 198?

The round was limited to doctors with at least 12 months of work in Canada in specific codes. Fewer candidates competed, so the cut-off was lower.

Sources

• Express Entry rounds of invitations data (IRCC, canada.ca)
• Express Entry: Category-based selection (canada.ca)
• Canada prioritizes top talent in 2026 immigration Express Entry categories (canada.ca, 18 February 2026)

Last checked: 2 October 2026. This is general information, not immigration advice.