Express Entry Category for Physicians with Canadian Work Experience (2026)

Canada has a shortage of doctors, and many internationally trained physicians already practice in Canada on work permits. The physicians with Canadian work experience category gives them a dedicated route to permanent residence through Express Entry. It is one of five new categories added for 2026; see category-based draws.

In a physicians draw, IRCC invites only candidates who meet this category's rules, ranked by CRS score. Because the group is small, the cutoff can be very low. The first draw, in early 2026, had a cutoff of 169.

You are included in physicians draws if you:

1. Have an active Express Entry profile and are eligible for an Express Entry program, usually the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
2. Have at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time) in Canada within the last 3 years.
3. Gained that experience in one of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:

Experience outside Canada does not count for this category. If you are a physician abroad, see the next section.

Many doctors in Canada bill a provincial health plan as self-employed practitioners rather than as employees. This matters because the Canadian Experience Class does not count self-employment. Before you rely on this category, check how IRCC's current instructions treat your type of practice, and keep records that show your hours, billing, and duties.

If your situation is unusual (for example, you have mixed employment and fee-for-service work, or a gap in status), talk to a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before you submit.

Some provinces also have their own routes for physicians. For example, Ontario's new Workforce Priority Stream includes a pathway for self-employed physicians. See the Ontario PNP 2026 overhaul and PNP.

This category is not for you yet, but other routes are:

• The healthcare and social services category includes the same three physician NOC codes, and experience gained abroad counts there.
• Provincial programs often target doctors and may offer faster licensing routes. See province hubs such as Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.
• Work permits let you gain the Canadian experience this category requires. See LMIA work permits.

Whatever route you use, you must be licensed by the provincial college of physicians and surgeons before you can practice in Canada. Most routes start with the Medical Council of Canada's credential verification and exams. Start early.

A category draw only compares candidates who meet that category's rules. Very few people in the Express Entry pool are physicians with 12 months of Canadian practice, so IRCC can invite most of them even at a low score. A cutoff of 169 suggests that most eligible candidates in the category at that time were invited.

This can change. If IRCC issues fewer invitations or more physicians enter the pool, cutoffs can rise. Keep your profile up to date and do not let your language results expire.

Keeping your status while you wait

If your work permit will expire while you wait, look at maintained status and the Bridging Open Work Permit so you can keep practicing.

IRCC decides when to hold physician draws and how many invitations to issue. The first draw was expected by February 2026 and had a CRS cutoff of 169. Later draws may have different cutoffs. Track them on the Express Entry draws tracker and estimate your score with the CRS calculator.

You have 60 days to submit a complete application after an Invitation to Apply. See from ITA to COPR. Expect to provide:

• Proof of your Canadian practice: employment letters or contracts, hospital privileges, billing records, and tax records.
• Your provincial medical license or registration.
• Proof that you held valid work authorization in Canada during the experience.
• Valid language test results, police certificates, and a medical exam.

Entering the Express Entry pool is free. After an invitation, you pay IRCC's fees.

As of September 2026 (fees rose on April 30, 2026), IRCC charges these fees for economic programs such as Express Entry and the PNP, in Canadian dollars:

Biometrics cost $85 per person, or $170 for a family applying together. Check the IRCC fee list before paying, because fees change. Budget as well for language tests, an Educational Credential Assessment if you studied abroad, police certificates, and medical exams.

IRCC aims to process most Express Entry applications in about 6 months after you submit a complete application. Real times vary. Check the IRCC processing times tool or our processing times page.

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children under 22 can be included in your application and become permanent residents with you. Each must pass medical and security checks.