Canada invited 4,000 healthcare and social services through Express Entry on June 25, 2026. Here are the latest CRS scores and draw details.
Could Canada’s immigration system be entering a new phase? The latest Express Entry draw suggests exactly that. Healthcare workers and social services professionals are once again at the center of Ottawa’s immigration strategy.
Canada Targets Healthcare Workers in New Express Entry Draw
Canada held another major Express Entry draw on June 25, 2026, issuing 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates working in healthcare and social services occupations.
The draw required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 475, making it one of the largest category-based selections of the year.
For many immigration candidates, the message is becoming increasingly clear: professional experience in healthcare remains one of the strongest pathways to permanent residence.
Hospitals continue to face staff shortages. Long-term care facilities are hiring aggressively. Social services organizations also need trained professionals. Immigration authorities appear determined to respond to these labour gaps.
A Week Packed With Express Entry Draws
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been particularly active this week. Four invitation rounds were conducted in just four days.
June 25: Healthcare and Social Services Draw
- 4,000 Invitations to Apply
- Minimum CRS score: 475
- Category: Healthcare and Social Services occupations
The size of this draw surprised many observers. A few months ago, several candidates feared that category-based selections would slow down. The opposite seems to be happening.
June 24: Physicians With Canadian Experience
IRCC issued 271 invitations to physicians who already had Canadian work experience.
The CRS cut-off dropped to 223, an exceptionally low score compared with many previous rounds.
This targeted selection reflects Canada’s urgent need for doctors, particularly in rural communities and smaller provinces where healthcare shortages remain severe.
June 23: Canadian Experience Class Draw
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw invited 4,000 candidates.
- Invitations issued: 4,000
- CRS score required: 516
Candidates with recent Canadian work experience continue to receive strong attention from immigration authorities. For temporary workers already living in Canada, these draws often represent the most direct route to permanent residence.
Provincial Nominee Program Continues to Play a Major Role
On June 22, Canada invited 955 candidates through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
The minimum CRS score reached 730.
At first glance, that score appears extremely high. Yet there is an explanation. Candidates nominated by a province receive an additional 600 CRS points, which significantly boosts their ranking.
Many provinces continue to use their nomination programs to attract workers in construction, healthcare, transportation, technology and skilled trades.
Why Healthcare Occupations Are Receiving Priority
Canada’s population is aging rapidly. Thousands of healthcare workers are also approaching retirement age.
The result? A labour shortage that cannot easily be solved through domestic recruitment alone.
Nurses, personal support workers, physiotherapists, medical laboratory technologists and social workers are among the occupations receiving increased attention.
In reality, the immigration system is becoming more targeted. A high CRS score alone is no longer the only factor that matters.
Professional experience in sectors facing labour shortages now carries considerable weight.
What the Latest CRS Scores Mean for Candidates
The variation between recent CRS cut-off scores is striking.
- Healthcare and social services: 475
- Physicians with Canadian experience: 223
- Canadian Experience Class: 516
- Provincial Nominee Program: 730
What does this tell us? Simply put, Express Entry is no longer operating under a single selection model.
A candidate with a CRS score below 500 may still receive an invitation if they belong to a priority occupation category. On the other hand, applicants outside targeted sectors may need significantly higher scores.
That shift has changed immigration strategies for thousands of candidates worldwide.
How Candidates Can Improve Their Chances
Several factors continue to influence Express Entry success:
Language Test Results
Higher English or French language scores remain one of the quickest ways to increase CRS points.
Canadian Work Experience
Experience gained inside Canada often provides a significant advantage, particularly for CEC candidates.
Provincial Nominations
A provincial nomination adds 600 points, virtually guaranteeing an invitation during future rounds.
Occupation Category
Healthcare, social services and certain priority occupations increasingly benefit from category-based draws.
For many applicants, improving one element of their profile can make the difference between waiting indefinitely and receiving an invitation within months.
Where to Verify the Official Results
Candidates who wish to review the official Ministerial Instructions, check tie-breaking rules or calculate their CRS scores can consult the Government of Canada’s official Express Entry rounds of invitations page.
The latest series of draws suggests that Canada intends to continue using targeted immigration selections to address labour shortages, particularly in healthcare and social services, where demand remains exceptionally high across several provinces.
Previous rounds of invitations
Check the scores of previous rounds to see how likely you are to get an invitation in the next round.
