September 10, 2026 | Canada Immigration | ENS NEWS
Canada has issued 3,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to candidates working in healthcare and social services through the Express Entry system.
The category-based draw was held on September 4, 2026, according to recently published Express Entry results. Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 475 to receive an invitation.
Key Results of the Draw
The September 4 round targeted candidates eligible under the Healthcare and Social Services occupations category.
The main results were:
- Invitations issued: 3,500
- Minimum CRS score: 475
- Draw date: September 4, 2026
- Category: Healthcare and Social Services occupations
- Tie-breaking date: May 26, 2026 at 00:26:14 UTC
The tie-breaking rule means that when multiple eligible candidates had the minimum score of 475, the date and time their Express Entry profiles were submitted determined who received an invitation.
Who Can Qualify Under the Healthcare Category?
Healthcare and social services continue to be among Canada’s priority categories under Express Entry in 2026.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), candidates in this category must have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, within the previous three years in a single eligible occupation.
The qualifying experience can have been obtained in Canada or abroad. Candidates must also satisfy the requirements of one of the immigration programs managed through Express Entry.
Eligible occupations include registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists, psychologists, medical laboratory technologists, paramedical workers, nurse aides, social workers and social and community service workers, among others.
Canada Continues to Prioritize Healthcare Workers
The latest draw reflects Canada’s continued use of immigration to address important workforce needs.
Earlier this year, the federal government confirmed that healthcare and social services would remain a priority Express Entry category for 2026. Canada specifically highlighted occupations including nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors.
Rather than selecting candidates solely on their overall CRS ranking, category-based selection allows IRCC to target candidates who possess particular skills, language abilities or work experience that correspond with Canada’s economic priorities.
Candidates must still qualify for Express Entry before they can benefit from category-based selection.
CRS Remains at 475
An interesting feature of the latest healthcare draw is that the CRS threshold remained unchanged from the previous healthcare and social services draw.
On June 25, 2026, Canada issued 4,000 invitations in the same category with a CRS cut-off of 475. The September draw issued 500 fewer invitations, but the minimum score remained at 475.
This may be encouraging for healthcare and social-services professionals currently in the Express Entry pool whose scores are around this level, although previous draw results cannot guarantee what the CRS threshold will be in future rounds.
What Happens After Receiving an ITA?
Receiving an Invitation to Apply is an important stage of the Express Entry process, but it does not automatically mean permanent residence has been granted.
Invited candidates must submit their complete permanent-residence application and supporting documentation to IRCC within the applicable deadline. IRCC will then assess whether the applicant meets the immigration program and category requirements.
Candidates who have not received an invitation remain in the Express Entry pool as long as their profiles remain valid and they continue meeting eligibility requirements.
What This Means for Prospective Immigrants
The September healthcare draw demonstrates that Canada continues to provide immigration opportunities for skilled professionals in areas where workers are needed.
Healthcare and social-services professionals interested in immigrating to Canada should ensure their Express Entry profiles accurately reflect their work experience, education, language results and other information used to calculate their CRS scores.
Applicants should also verify their occupation’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) code against IRCC’s official healthcare and social-services category because simply working somewhere in the healthcare industry does not automatically make a candidate eligible.
With 3,500 candidates invited in a single round, healthcare and social services remain an important part of Canada’s category-based Express Entry strategy in 2026.