Canada invites 3,500 health and social care workers for permanent residency

Canada issued 3,500 permanent residency invitations on November 14 under its healthcare and social services category, setting a CRS cut-off of 462 as the country responds to ongoing staff shortages

Canada on November 14 issued a large batch of permanent residency invitations under its healthcare and social services category, drawing one of the biggest groups of medical and community-care professionals seen this year. In total, 3,500 candidates were invited through the latest Express Entry round, which continues to respond to labour pressure across the country’s hospitals, clinics and community programmes.

 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the selection round focused on people whose professional training is urgently needed in areas ranging from senior care to mental health support. The cut-off Comprehensive Ranking System score for this draw was 462.

 

 

Details of the Express Entry draw are as follows:

 

Category: Healthcare and social services occupations (Version 2)

Date and time: November 14, 2025

CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 462

Number of invitations issued: 3,500

Rank needed: 3,500 or above

 

This is one of the largest healthcare-linked draws since category-based selection began. Compared with recent Canadian Experience Class rounds, where the cut-off has hovered around 533, today’s score created a wider entry point for overseas and in-Canada professionals.

 

Why is Canada continuing to select healthcare workers for PR?

 

Canada’s health systems remain under strain as staff shortages spread across emergency care, long-term care, hospital operations and diagnostic services. Community organisations, including those supporting people with disabilities and newcomers, have also reported persistent gaps.

 

Officials said the draw responds to ongoing shortages and the need to bring in trained workers who can integrate quickly into clinical or community settings.

 

Who qualifies for the healthcare and social services category for Canada PR?

 

To receive an invitation in this draw, candidates needed to meet the following conditions:

 

• At least six months of full-time, continuous work experience in the past three years

• A minimum of one year of skilled work experience overall to qualify for Express Entry

• Experience in one of the roles listed under the healthcare and social services occupations category

• Work experience gained inside or outside Canada

• Experience completed in a single eligible occupation, even if their primary Express Entry occupation code is different

 

This route allows candidates who may have worked in several roles over their careers to qualify if they meet the minimum experience in one eligible profession.

 

What are the 37 eligible occupations for Canada PR?

 

The draw covered a wide range of regulated, diagnostic, therapeutic, technical and community-care professions:

 

• Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians

• Audiologists and speech language pathologists

• Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists

• Chiropractors

• Dental hygienists and dental therapists

• Dentists

• Dieticians and nutritionists

• General practitioners and family physicians

• Licensed practical nurses

• Massage therapists

• Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations

• Medical laboratory technologists

• Medical radiation technologists

• Medical sonographers

• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates

• Nurse practitioners

• Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors

• Occupational therapists

• Optometrists

• Other medical technologists and technicians

• Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating

• Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment

• Paramedical occupations

• Pharmacists

• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants

• Pharmacy technicians

• Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

• Physiotherapists

• Psychologists

• Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

• Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists

• Social and community service workers

• Social workers

• Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine

• Specialists in surgery

• Therapists in counselling and related specialised therapies

• Veterinarians

 

What must candidates do next?

 

Those who received an invitation must now submit a full permanent residence application within 60 days. This includes identity documents, police checks, medical exams, proof of funds where applicable, educational assessments and detailed records of previous employment.

 

Current processing times for Express Entry permanent residence applications run between six and eight months.

 

By selecting 3,500 candidates at a CRS score of 462, the November 14 draw offers a clear route for healthcare and social services workers looking to move into permanent roles across Canada’s essential care sectors.