What this category means
This category responds to labour shortages in health care, allied health and social services.
Category eligibility comes after Express Entry eligibility
You must first qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program and have a valid Express Entry profile. A category does not replace those program rules.
Who may qualify
- Be eligible for at least one of the three federal programs managed by Express Entry.
- Have a valid profile in the Express Entry pool when IRCC holds the round.
- Meet every requirement in the ministerial instructions for that specific round.
- Within the 3 years before the round, have at least 12 months of full-time work experience—or an equal amount of part-time experience—in one listed occupation. The experience does not need to be continuous and may be gained in canada or abroad.
Eligible healthcare and social-services occupations
Search all 37 current occupations by official title, 2021 NOC code or TEER. Match the NOC lead statement and actual main duties—not only the job title.
37 of 37 occupations shown
| Official occupation title | 2021 NOC | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 | 1 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 | 1 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 | 1 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 | 1 |
| Dentists | 31110 | 1 |
| Optometrists | 31111 | 1 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 31112 | 1 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 | 1 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 31121 | 1 |
| Psychologists | 31200 | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 | 1 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 | 1 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 | 1 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 | 1 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 | 1 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 | 1 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 | 1 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 | 2 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 | 2 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 | 2 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 | 2 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 | 2 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 | 2 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 | 2 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 | 2 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 | 2 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 | 2 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 | 2 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 | 2 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 | 2 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 | 3 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | 3 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | 3 |
| Social workers | 41300 | 1 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 | 1 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | 2 |
Immigration eligibility versus professional licensing
IRCC’s category list decides who may be ranked in a healthcare category round. It does not grant a licence to practise a regulated profession in a province or territory.
Express Entry category
Requires 12 months of recent experience in one listed NOC, in Canada or abroad, plus eligibility under CEC, FSWP or FSTP and the exact round instructions.
Professional authorization
Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists and other regulated professionals may need assessment, registration, examinations or provincial licensing before they can practise in Canada.
A person may qualify for the immigration category without yet holding a Canadian professional licence. Conversely, a Canadian licence does not by itself prove the work-experience, Express Entry, CRS or category requirements.
Latest 2026 healthcare-category round
Round #422 selected candidates under Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3.
Date and time
June 25, 2026
Invitations
4,000
Lowest CRS
475
Round
#422
Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3
Eligible candidates from the federal Express Entry programs identified in the round could receive invitations.
The 4,000 invitations and CRS 475 apply only to round #422. A future healthcare round can use a different invitation total, cut-off and tie-breaking rule.
Open official round #422How category-based selection works
- 01
Qualify for Express Entry
Meet the minimum rules of CEC, FSWP or FSTP and create an accurate profile.
- 02
IRCC identifies eligible profiles
IRCC checks the profile information against the requirements of the announced category.
- 03
Candidates are ranked by CRS
Eligible category candidates are still ranked against one another using their CRS scores.
- 04
Highest-ranking candidates may be invited
The number invited, cut-off, tie-breaker and exact category rules are set for the individual round.
- 05
Submit the permanent-residence application
An invited candidate must prove both program and category eligibility with documents and remain admissible to Canada.
Documents to prepare
- Employer letters confirming position, dates, hours, pay and detailed duties
- Supporting pay, tax, contract or employment records where appropriate
- Evidence that the claimed duties match the listed NOC
- Certified translations for documents not in English or French
- All documents required by the underlying Express Entry program
Important limits
- Meeting a category requirement does not add separate CRS points and does not guarantee that IRCC will hold a round for that category.
- The category occupation list, work-experience period and round instructions can change. The live IRCC page and the instructions for the exact round control.
- An invitation does not remove the need to prove the underlying Express Entry program, the CRS score claimed, category eligibility and admissibility.
- A job title alone is not enough for an occupation category. The evidence must support the correct NOC lead statement and main duties.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Canadian healthcare experience?
No. This general category accepts qualifying experience gained in Canada or abroad. The separate physician category specifically requires Canadian experience.
Can I combine two healthcare NOCs?
No. The qualifying 12 months must be in one listed occupation. Periods may be non-continuous when they relate to the same NOC.
Does a healthcare degree make me eligible?
Not by itself. Category membership is based on qualifying work experience in a listed NOC, together with Express Entry and round requirements.
Can part-time experience count?
Yes, an equal amount of qualifying part-time experience may count if the hours, dates and duties are documented.
Do I need a Canadian professional licence?
Not necessarily for category membership, but licensing may be required to work in the regulated profession in Canada.
Are social-service occupations included?
Yes. The current list includes social workers, counselling therapists and social and community service workers, in addition to health occupations.
Does category eligibility add CRS points?
No. Eligible candidates are still ranked using their existing CRS score.
Does CRS 475 predict the next healthcare round?
No. It was the lowest score in round #422 only.
Official government sources
General information only. This page was reviewed on the date shown, but IRCC may change categories or instructions without notice. Verify the live government source before relying on any requirement.