Canada Immigration Update: First Physicians Express Entry Draw Results

Last Updated On 19 February 2026, 2:16 PM EST (Toronto Time)

Canada conducted its inaugural Express Entry draw exclusively for physicians with Canadian work experience on February 19, 2026. A total of 391 doctors were invited to apply for permanent residence with a historic CRS cutoff of 169 points.

The new physicians category, announced by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab just a day before the draw, was implemented swiftly, marking it as one of the fastest category rollouts in Express Entry history.

The cutoff score of 169 is the lowest ever recorded in any Express Entry invitation round, demonstrating IRCC’s dedication to expediting the permanent residence process for foreign-trained doctors who are actively contributing to Canada’s healthcare sector.

First Physicians Express Entry Draw Results

Tie-Breaking Rule Explained

The tie-breaking rule for this draw was established on January 03, 2026, at 03:25:14 UTC. Candidates with a CRS score of 169 who submitted their profiles before this timestamp received invitations, while those who applied after this date will have to wait for future draws under the physician category.

Why The 169 CRS Cutoff Is Historic

The CRS score of 169 in this physician’s draw is unparalleled in Express Entry history. Compared to previous draws for healthcare occupations, where cutoffs ranged from 420 to 480 points, this record-low score signifies that almost all eligible physicians in the pool received invitations, regardless of certain criteria that would typically impact their CRS ranking.

Express Entry draw on Feb. 19, 2026 targeted physicians (CRS 169, 391 ITAs)

On February 19, 2026, IRCC ran an Express Entry round called “Physicians with Canadian work experience (2026–Version 1)” and issued 391 invitations to apply (ITAs). The CRS cut-off was 169, with a tie-breaking timestamp of January 3, 2026 (03:25:14 UTC) listed on IRCC’s Rounds of invitations page.

This draw matters because it is a category-based round aimed at keeping doctors who are already working in Canada. It does not mean CRS scores for general Express Entry draws will drop to this level.

What IRCC announced (the confirmed draw details)

According to IRCC’s Rounds of invitations listing, the key details were:

• Date: Feb. 19, 2026

• Draw type: Physicians with Canadian work experience

• ITAs: 391

• CRS cut-off: 169

• Tie-break: Jan. 3, 2026 (03:25:14 UTC)

You can check the official record here: Express Entry: Rounds of invitations.

Who is eligible for the “physicians with Canadian work experience” category

IRCC’s category rules say you must have at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in Canada within the past 3 years, in one of the listed physician occupations (experience does not need to be continuous).

The eligible occupations are listed by IRCC as:

• 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine

• 31101 – Specialists in surgery

• 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians

You can review the official eligibility wording here: Express Entry: Category-based selection (physicians category).

Why the CRS score looks “too low” (and what it really means)

A CRS cut-off like 169 can happen when IRCC is selecting from a small, specific group (in this case, physicians who meet the category rules). In category-based rounds, IRCC ranks only candidates who meet the category requirements, then invites the top scores within that smaller group.

So the practical takeaway is: this CRS number is only meaningful for physicians who meet the category definition. It is not a reliable signal for CEC, FSW, or general draws.

If you received an ITA: what to do next

IRCC’s category-based selection overview confirms that after an ITA, you have 60 days to submit your PR application through Express Entry.

For invited physicians, the safest approach is to treat the next steps like a checklist:

• Confirm your Canadian physician work experience clearly matches the correct NOC and dates.

• Make sure your Express Entry profile details are consistent with your supporting documents.

• Start gathering time-sensitive documents early (some take longer than expected).

Context: why this category exists

IRCC announced on February 18, 2026 that Canada would introduce a new category for foreign medical doctors with Canadian work experience as part of the 2026 Express Entry categories.
You can read that official announcement here: IRCC news release: 2026 Express Entry categories.

FAQs

Does CRS 169 mean Express Entry is “easy now”?
No. This score applied to a very specific category-based draw. Most candidates will still face higher CRS thresholds in broader draw types.

What does the tie-breaking rule mean?
If multiple candidates had the same lowest CRS score, IRCC used the profile submission date/time to decide who was invited first. (For this round, the tie-break was Jan. 3, 2026 at 03:25:14 UTC.)

Do I need to be eligible for an Express Entry program too?
Yes. IRCC states you must be eligible for one of the Express Entry-managed programs and meet the category requirements for a category-based invitation.

Reality check

This draw is a strong sign that IRCC wants to retain physicians already working in Canada — but it is still not a guarantee of permanent residence. IRCC can refuse applications if program requirements are not met, information doesn’t match, or admissibility issues apply.