Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.<\/p>\n
The immigration department issued 391 ITAs in a draw for candidates in the Physicians with Canadian work experience category.<\/p>\n
To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have<\/p>\n
A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 169; and
\nCreated an Express Entry candidate profile before 3:25 a.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on January 3, 2026.<\/p>\n
See your eligibility for all Express Entry categories<\/a><\/p>\n Summary of Express Entry draws in 2026<\/p>\n \tDraw dateDraw TypeCRS cut-off scoreITAs issued<\/p>\n \tFebruary 19<\/a>Physicians with Canadian work experience169391<\/p>\n \tFebruary 17<\/a>Canadian Experience Class5086,000<\/p>\n \tFebruary 16<\/a>Provincial Nominee Program789279<\/p>\n \tFebruary 6<\/a>French-Language proficiency4008,500<\/p>\n \tFebruary 3<\/a>Provincial Nominee Program749423<\/p>\n \tJanuary 21<\/a>Canadian Experience Class5096,000<\/p>\n \tJanuary 20<\/a>Provincial Nominee Program746 681<\/p>\n \tJanuary 7<\/a>Canadian Experience Class5118,000<\/p>\n \tJanuary 5<\/a>Provincial Nominee Program711574<\/p>\n Today’s draw is the first under the newly announced Physicians with Canadian work experience category. It also marks only the second category-based selection draw, and the ninth Express Entry selection of the year overall.<\/p>\n With a CRS cut-off of just 169, this is also the second-lowest cut-off score in Express Entry’s history, surpassed only by a 2021 pandemic-era Canadian Experience Class<\/a> (CEC) draw, which featured a CRS score of just 75<\/a>.<\/p>\n IRCC’s physician category was first announced in December of 2025<\/a>, alongside a suite of measures to boost Canada’s supply of doctors through both federal and provincial pathways.<\/p>\n To be eligible under this new category, candidates must:<\/p>\n Meet the basic eligibility criteria for one of the three Express Entry-managed programs<\/a>; Meet all the requirements in the ministerial instructions for a particular selection round.<\/p>\n Express Entry draws in 2026 have seen Canada’s immigration department focus largely on immigration candidates within the country, particularly those with provincial nominations<\/a> and Canadian work experience.<\/p>\n \tDraw TypeNumber of Draws<\/p>\n \tProvincial Nominee Program4<\/p>\n \tCanadian Experience Class3<\/p>\n \tFrench-Language proficiency1<\/p>\n \tPhysicians with Canadian work experience1<\/p>\n In 2026 thus far, IRCC has issued 30,848 ITAs<\/a> across the following draw types:<\/p>\n \tDraw typeITAs Issued<\/p>\n \tCanadian Experience Class20,000<\/p>\n \tFrench-Language proficiency8,500<\/p>\n \tProvincial Nominee Program1,534<\/p>\n \tPhysicians with Canadian work experience391<\/p>\n
\nHave gained at least 12 months of full-time work experience within the previous three years (or an equivalent amount of part-time work experience) in an eligible occupation<\/a>; and<\/p>\n