Dear future neighbour,
On June 25, 2026, Canada’s immigration department sent out 4,000 invitations to apply for permanent residence through a Healthcare and Social Services Express Entry draw. The minimum CRS score to qualify was 475, and only candidates who had created their Express Entry profile before May 21, 2026 were considered for selection.
See below details from the draw:
| Draw Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations (2026 – Version 3) |
| Date and Time | June 25, 2026 |
| Invitations Issued | 4,000 |
| Minimum CRS Score | 475 |
| Tie-Breaking Date | May 21, 2026 |
This was the third healthcare draw of the year and the largest since the first one back in February which also sent out 4,000 invitations. This is how all three healthcare draws in 2026 compare:
| Draw Date | Version | Invitations | CRS Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 20 | Version 1 | 4,000 | 467 |
| April 15 | Version 2 | 3,000 | 430 |
| June 25 | Version 3 | 4,000 | 475 |
Why this draw matters more than you might think
The 475 CRS cutoff is significant because it reaches into one of the most crowded parts of the Express Entry pool. As of June 21, there were 75,938 candidates sitting between 451 and 500 CRS points with about 17,318 of them clustered specifically between 471 and 480.
The Canadian Experience Class draw held just two days earlier on June 23 had a cutoff of 516. That’s a 41-point gap. What that means practically: a nurse, pharmacist, or social worker with a CRS of 475 would have received an invitation through this healthcare draw but would have needed at least 516 to get in through CEC. For thousands of healthcare professionals who have been waiting in the pool, this draw offered a route that simply wasn’t available to them any other way.
Four draws in four days: a burst of activity after a long wait
The June 25 draw was actually the fourth in a row after IRCC went 25 days without holding a single draw. Between June 22 and June 25, a total of 9,226 invitations went out across four different categories:
| Date | Category | Invitations | CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 955 | 730 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 516 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 271 | 223 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and Social Services | 4,000 | 475 |
IRCC has now issued a total of 89,067 Express Entry invitations since January 1, 2026.
Who qualifies for the healthcare draw?
To be eligible, candidates must have at least 12 months of full-time work experience, gained in the past three years in one of 37 eligible occupations. That 12-month requirement was updated earlier in 2026 from the previous 6-month threshold. The experience can have been gained inside or outside Canada, as long as it falls within the three-year window.
Eligible occupations span a wide range, including:
| Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Optometrists | 31111 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 31112 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 31121 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 |
| Social workers | 41300 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
Your Canadian Dream Doesn’t Have to Wait: Let’s Make It Happen
Whether you’re a nurse, pharmacist, social worker, or any other healthcare professional looking at permanent residence in Canada, the path forward is clearer now than it’s been in months. But navigating Express Entry, understanding your CRS score, or figuring out which category gives you the best shot can be overwhelming on your own. That’s where we come in. At Ese Umoh Immigration, we help people like you take confident, informed steps toward their Canadian goals, from Express Entry and provincial nomination to work permits, postgraduate work permits, spousal sponsorship, visitor visas, super visas, citizenship applications, and school admissions. Send us an email on info@eseumohimmigration.com