Canada has continued its targeted immigration selections by inviting 3,500 candidates from healthcare and social services occupations to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry.
The latest invitation round was conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on September 4, 2026. Candidates selected in the draw needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 475.
This category-based selection highlights Canada’s continued effort to attract professionals working in sectors that play an important role in the country’s workforce and public services.
Also Read Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3
Key Details of the September 4 Express Entry Draw
The latest draw was specifically aimed at candidates whose work experience falls within eligible healthcare and social services occupations.
Applicants needed to meet two important conditions to receive an invitation:
| Requirement | Details |
| Draw category | Healthcare and social services |
| Invitations issued | 3,500 |
| Minimum CRS score | 475 |
| Profile cut-off | Profiles created before 12:26 a.m. UTC on May 26, 2026 |
| Draw date | September 4, 2026 |
Candidates who received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) can now proceed with the next stage of their permanent residence application, provided they continue to meet the applicable requirements.
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Healthcare Category Remains an Important Immigration Route
Healthcare and social services professionals have been among the groups receiving targeted consideration under Canada’s category-based Express Entry system.
The September draw is the third healthcare and social services selection of 2026. Earlier in the year, IRCC also conducted healthcare-focused rounds, including a February draw and another selection in June.
The June 25 round issued 4,000 invitations, while the February 20 selection also distributed 4,000 ITAs. The latest 3,500 invitations bring the number issued under this category during 2026 to 11,500.
Express Entry Activity Intensifies in September
The healthcare draw follows several other targeted and program-specific selections held at the beginning of September.
On September 1, IRCC invited 2,000 candidates through the Canadian Experience Class, with a CRS cut-off of 521.
A day later, on September 3, the department selected 229 physicians with Canadian work experience, with candidates requiring a minimum CRS score of 198.
The latest healthcare and social services draw therefore represents another significant category-based selection within a busy period for Express Entry.
Recent Express Entry Invitations
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
| September 4 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 3,500 |
| September 3 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 198 | 229 |
| September 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 521 | 2,000 |
| August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 697 | 562 |
| August 19 | French-Language proficiency | 382 | 5,000 |
| August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 523 | 1,000 |
| August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 760 | 442 |
| August 7 | Transport | 470 | 300 |
| August 6 | French-Language proficiency | 391 | 5,000 |
| August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 3,000 |
| August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 768 | 507 |
| July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 368 | 4 |
| July 22 | French-Language proficiency | 399 | 5,000 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 2,000 |
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 744 | 511 |
| July 10 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 392 | 500 |
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
53 Express Entry Draws Held So Far in 2026
With the September 4 selection, IRCC has conducted 53 Express Entry draws in 2026.
The distribution of these draws shows that Canada has relied heavily on selections targeting candidates with specific backgrounds, particularly people with Canadian connections and applicants possessing skills in priority sectors.
Provincial nominees have accounted for the highest number of individual draws, followed by Canadian Experience Class selections and French-language proficiency rounds.
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Express Entry Draws by Category
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 17 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 15 |
| French-Language proficiency | 10 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 3 |
| Healthcare and social services | 3 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 2 |
| Trades | 1 |
| Transport | 1 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 1 |
More Than 121,000 ITAs Issued in 2026
The scale of Canada’s Express Entry activity becomes clearer when looking at the cumulative invitation figures.
According to the latest figures, IRCC has issued 126,156 Invitations to Apply during 2026 across its various Express Entry selection categories.
The Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency categories have accounted for the largest portions of those invitations. Healthcare and social services have also made a substantial contribution, with 11,500 ITAs issued through the category so far this year.
ITAs Issued by Express Entry Draw Type
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
| Canadian Experience Class | 51,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 50,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 7,961 |
| Healthcare and social services | 11,500 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Transport | 300 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 891 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 750 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
What the Latest Draw Means for Healthcare Professionals
The latest invitation round provides another opportunity for eligible healthcare and social services professionals to pursue Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry.
A CRS threshold of 475 places the latest healthcare draw below many recent Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program cut-offs. However, candidates should remember that the CRS score required for an invitation can change considerably between draws and categories.
Professionals interested in this pathway should therefore assess their complete Express Entry profile rather than relying solely on the cut-off from one invitation round.
Factors such as age, education, language ability, Canadian and foreign work experience, and other qualifying elements can influence a candidate’s overall CRS ranking.
Canada Continues Targeted Express Entry Selections
The latest healthcare and social services draw demonstrates that Canada’s Express Entry system continues to place considerable emphasis on targeted immigration selections.
Rather than relying exclusively on broad-based draws, IRCC has conducted rounds aimed at specific candidate groups throughout 2026, including provincial nominees, Canadian workers, French-speaking applicants, healthcare professionals, tradespeople, transport workers, physicians, senior managers and skilled military recruits.
For healthcare and social services professionals, the issuance of another 3,500 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 475 provides a significant opportunity for those who meet the category requirements and have competitive Express Entry profiles.
As more Express Entry rounds are conducted, prospective applicants should continue monitoring IRCC announcements and ensure their profiles remain accurate, complete and competitive.
