Canada is still accepting competent medical practitioners as a long-term strategy of boosting the medical talent pool in the country. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has offered 2,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to applicants in this category of Healthcare and Social Services in the recent Express Entry draw.
Who Qualified for the Draw
To be eligible to enter this draw, an applicant had to have a minimum score of 472 on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and a called Express Entry profile on or before May 12, 2025.
These requirements reflect the competitive nature of healthcare draws today. With Canada’s healthcare system grappling with hospital, long-term care, and community center staff shortages, qualified workers are at the top of the country’s immigration list.
How This Draw Places Into the Year’s Trends
This was the fifth draw for healthcare in 2025 and also the second largest thus far. It is on par with the August 19 draw and follows the July 22 draw, the largest thus far this year, when 4,000 healthcare workers were invited.
As of 2025, up to now, nearly 10,000 health care and social services workers have been invited under Express Entry. This is the third busiest category under the system, following French-language and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates.
October Series of Draws
The health care draw was the fourth October Express Entry draw, following:
- A CEC draw on October 1
- A French-language category draw on October 6
- On October 14, there was a draw under a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
To date, 73,183 ITAs have been issued altogether in 2025 in the various categories. This steady rate signifies that IRCC continues to balance the occupational priorities but makes sure that the overall stream of immigration does not decrease.
Express Entry Draws in 2025
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 19 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 10 |
| Bilingualism in French Language Skills | 6 |
| Health Care and Social Services | 5 |
| Education | 2 |
| Trade | 1 |
