Updated July 2026. IRCC’s new Express Entry category for physicians with Canadian work experience — first announced December 8, 2025 as a plan pending Budget 2025 approval — went ahead as scheduled, launching in early 2026 as part of Canada’s broader 2026 category-based selection priorities.
Who Qualifies
To be eligible under this category, candidates need at least 12 months of Canadian work experience within the past 3 years in one of three eligible occupations:
- General Practitioners and Family Physicians (NOC 31102)
- Specialists in Surgery (NOC 31101)
- Specialists in Clinical and Laboratory Medicine (NOC 31100)
What matters is your actual Canadian work experience in one of these roles — not necessarily your officially listed primary occupation. This category is specifically designed to transition physicians already practising in Canada on a temporary basis into permanent residency through Express Entry.
5,000 Reserved Spaces for Provincially Nominated Doctors
Separately from the Express Entry category itself, the federal government set aside 5,000 permanent resident admission spaces specifically for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors with valid job offers. This allocation sits on top of regular Provincial Nominee Program quotas, and nominated doctors get expedited work permit processing so they can start working while their PR application is still in progress.
Why Canada Prioritized Physicians
The move reflects a broader push to retain doctors who are already “practice-ready” within the Canadian healthcare system, rather than starting from scratch with candidates abroad — someone who’s already worked 12 months in a Canadian hospital or clinic has already cleared many of the practical barriers (licensing, workplace integration, language demands) that otherwise slow down physician immigration.
Source: IRCC, Express Entry: Category-based selection.
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