IRCC Launches New Express Entry. Pathway for International Doctors in Canada

Introduction

Canada immigration policy took an important turn today for the medical profession. Immigration, Refugees and citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced new targeted immigration measures designed to make permanent. residence in Canada more accessible for international doctors who are already supporting the Canadian health care system.

These changes introduce a dedicated Express Entry category for international doctors and reserve new federal spaces tied to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). For foreign-trained physicians who want to secure permanent residence Canada-wide, and for hospitals. and clinics struggling with shortages, this is a significant development in Canada immigration policy.

What Was Announced

In a news release from Toronto on December 8, 2025, IRCC confirmed a package of targeted immigration measures focused on doctors. In summary:

• New Express Entry category for doctors: IRCC will create a category-based Express Entry stream specifically for international doctors who have at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience gained within the last three years.
• 5,000 new federal admission spaces for provinces and territories: The Government of Canada will reserve 5,000 federal permanent residence admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors with job offers, in addition to existing annual PNP allocations.
• Expedited work permit processing: Doctors nominated under these spaces will benefit from a targeted 14-day work permit processing standard so they can work in Canada while their permanent residence application is processed.
• Timeline for invitations: IRCC indicates that invitations to apply under the new Express Entry category will begin in early 2026.
• Eligible occupations: The measures currently apply to:
  • General practitioners and family physicians
  • Specialists in surgery
  • Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine

According to IRCC, these changes support the broader International Talent Attraction Strategy and tie into the 2025–2027 Immigration. Levels Plan, which shifts focus toward in-Canada temporary residents transitioning to permanent residence while keeping immigration at more sustainable volumes.

What Has Changed Compared to Before

Previously, international doctors typically used standard Express Entry pathways (such as the Federal Skilled. Worker Program or Canadian Experience Class) or a provincial nominee stream designed for health professionals. There was no dedicated Canada immigration category exclusively for doctors within Express Entry.

The new measures change this in several important ways:

• Dedicated Express Entry category: Doctors with recent Canadian work experience in eligible medical occupations will now compete within a targeted Express Entry category, rather than only in general draws with a wide mix of occupations.
• Additional federal spaces for PNP nominations: The 5,000 reserved admission spaces are on top of existing PNP allocations. This gives provinces and territories extra room in the permanent residence Canada system specifically for licensed doctors with job offers.
• Clearer work permit pathway: For nominated doctors, IRCC is committing to 14-day work permit processing, which is faster and more predictable than typical timelines in many cases.

Licensing and credential recognition remain under provincial and territorial authority, so these immigration tools do not replace the need to satisfy local medical regulatory requirements.

However, they make it easier for eligible doctors to use Canada immigration pathways to secure long-term stability once they are licensed and working.

Who Is Affected and How

International doctors already working in Canada

The primary beneficiaries are international doctors who are already in Canada on temporary status (for example, work permits) and who have:

• At least one year of Canadian work experience in the last three years, and
• Work experience in one of the eligible doctor occupations listed by IRCC.

For these physicians, the new Express Entry category may:

• Provide a more direct route to permanent residence in Canada,
• Potentially reduce competition with non-medical occupations in general Express Entry draws, and
• Align better with the government’s priority to keep in-demand health professionals in the country.

Provinces, territories and health care employers

Provinces, territories and health authorities will have more flexibility to recruit and retain doctors through the. Provincial Nominee Program, thanks to the 5,000 additional federal admission spaces dedicated to doctors with job offers.

This may help:

• Stabilize staffing in hospitals, community clinics and rural practices;
• Reduce the risk that international doctors leave Canada due to immigration uncertainty; and
• Support long-term planning for provincial health workforce strategies.

Doctors outside Canada

The new measures are clearly framed around international doctors who are already in Canada and working in eligible occupations. Doctors abroad without Canadian work experience will not automatically qualify for this new Express Entry category.

However, these doctors may still benefit indirectly if:

• They secure a job offer and provincial nomination using the new doctor-focused admission spaces, or
• They later gain Canadian work experience that meets the new category’s requirements.

Patients and the Canadian health system

The announcement is clearly motivated by pressing health care shortages. IRCC’s quick facts highlight that in 2024, about 17% of Canadian adults and.

11% of children and youth did not have a regular health care provider.

By making permanent residence in Canada more accessible for international doctors through Express Entry and PNP, the government is aiming to:

• Reduce gaps in primary care,
• Improve access to specialist services, and
• Increase stability in the health workforce over the medium and long term.

Practical Scenarios and Examples

Scenario 1: Family physician with Canadian work experience

Dr. A is a family physician working in Ontario on a work permit. She has 24 months of full-time Canadian work experience as a general practitioner over. the last three years and meets the language and education requirements for Express Entry.

Under the new category, Dr. A may be able to create or update her Express Entry profile as an international doctor with eligible Canadian work experience.

When IRCC begins issuing invitations to apply under this new stream in early 2026, she could receive an. Invitation to Apply specifically as part of the doctor category, rather than competing only in general Express Entry draws.

Scenario 2: Specialist doctor nominated by a province

Dr. B is a surgeon being recruited by a provincial health authority. The province nominates him under its health-care-focused PNP stream, using one of the 5,000 reserved federal admission spaces for doctors with job offers.

Because of the nomination, Dr. B can apply for a work permit benefiting from 14-day processing. This allows him to start working more quickly while his permanent residence Canada application is assessed through the Canada immigration system.

Scenario 3: Doctor abroad without Canadian experience

Dr. C is a pathologist living overseas with no Canadian work experience. She will not immediately qualify for the new doctor-specific Express Entry category, because it. requires at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience in the last three years.

Her strategies may include:

• Seeking a job offer with a provincial health authority and nomination through a PNP health stream;
• Using a standard Express Entry program if her Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is competitive; and
• Planning a staged pathway (for example, licensing, temporary work permit, then permanent residence in Canada through the new category once she has enough Canadian experience).

These strategic options depend on provincial licensing decisions, Canadian labour market needs, and future IRCC program delivery instructions. This is high-level analysis, not legal advice.

What International Doctors Should Do Now

While detailed ministerial instructions and program delivery guidance for the new category have. not yet been published, IRCC has provided enough information for international doctors to begin preparing.

The following steps are general suggestions and not legal advice:

1. Confirm your occupation and duties: Check that your role falls under one of the eligible doctor occupations identified by IRCC (for example, general practitioner, surgeon, or specialist in clinical or laboratory medicine).
2. Calculate your Canadian work experience: Ensure you can document at least one year of qualifying Canadian work experience in the last three years, including evidence such as contracts, pay stubs and reference letters.
3. Assess your Express Entry profile: If you have not already, consider checking your eligibility for Express Entry and estimating your CRS score. A strong CRS profile will still matter, because the system continues to rank candidates even within categories.
4. Maintain your licence and good standing: Since provinces and territories control medical licensing, it is crucial to remain in good standing with the relevant medical regulatory authority.
5. Monitor official IRCC updates: Look out for future ministerial instructions on category-based selection and IRCC program delivery updates for further technical details about the new doctor category and PNP spaces.

The goal of these preparations is to position eligible international doctors to. move quickly once Express Entry invitations begin for this new category in early 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the new Express Entry category for doctors?

IRCC is creating a category-based Express Entry stream specifically for international doctors. with at least one year of recent Canadian work experience in eligible medical occupations. Candidates in this category will still use the Express Entry system but may receive invitations in draws focused solely on doctors.

When will invitations under this category start?

IRCC states that invitations to apply in the new doctor category will be issued in early 2026. The exact start date, frequency of draws and CRS cut-offs will be clarified through future official instructions and cannot be predicted with certainty.

Which doctor occupations are eligible?

The announcement lists three occupation groups: general practitioners and family physicians, specialists in surgery, and specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine.

IRCC also links these to specific national occupation codes; candidates should verify that their job duties match an eligible profile.

Do I need Canadian work experience to qualify?

Yes, for the new doctor-specific Express Entry category, IRCC requires at least one. year of Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation within the last three years.

Doctors without Canadian experience may still use other Canada immigration options, such as general Express Entry categories or provincial nominee streams, if they qualify.

How do the 5,000 reserved federal spaces work?

IRCC will reserve 5,000 permanent residence admission spaces at the federal level for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors who have job offers.

These spaces are in addition to standard PNP allocations and are intended to help provinces bring in and retain more doctors.

Will CRS scores be lower for doctors in this category?

IRCC has not published specific CRS thresholds for this new category. Based on how other category-based Express Entry draws operate, it is likely that IRCC will continue to rank eligible. candidates by CRS score within the category, but exact cut-offs are unknown and can change from draw to draw. This is forward-looking analysis, not a guarantee.

I am a doctor abroad with no Canadian experience. What are my options?

The new category focuses on international doctors already working in Canada. If you are abroad, you may still consider:

• Applying through standard Express Entry if your CRS score is competitive;
• Targeting a provincial health care immigration stream that can lead to a PNP nomination; and
• Planning a pathway that includes licensing and obtaining Canadian work experience to eventually qualify for the doctor-specific category.

You should always rely on official government information and, if needed, seek individual legal advice from a regulated representative.

Is this change part of a broader shift in Canada immigration policy?

Yes. The 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan and IRCC transition documents highlight a shift toward more targeted immigration, prioritizing. in-demand sectors (like health care) and in-Canada temporary residents, while keeping overall volumes at more sustainable levels.

The new doctor-focused measures are consistent with this strategy.

Conclusion

Today’s announcement from IRCC represents a major opportunity for international doctors already contributing to Canada’s health system. A dedicated Express Entry category, additional PNP admission spaces, and faster work permit processing together. create a clearer and more predictable pathway to permanent residence in Canada for eligible physicians.

At the same time, details such as CRS thresholds, draw patterns and implementation timelines still need to be confirmed through future IRCC updates. International doctors should monitor official channels closely, maintain strong professional and immigration profiles, and.

seek individualized advice where necessary before making major decisions about their Canada immigration plans.

Sources / References

1. IRCC news release, “Targeted immigration measures to boost Canada’s supply of doctors,” December 8, 2025.
2. IRCC, “2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan,” backgrounder, October 24, 2024.
3. IRCC, “Economic Immigration – IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2025-05,” transparency publication, 2025.
4. IRCC, “Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee changes,” updated December 1, 2025 (for broader fee context).

All information is drawn from official Government of Canada sources and is provided for general guidance only. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee any immigration outcome.