According to Maple News, healthcare professionals remain one of the most prioritized occupational groups under Canada’s Express Entry system in 2025. Through targeted category-based draws, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has continued to issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) at significantly lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) thresholds for healthcare workers compared to general draws.
Express Entry manages permanent residence applications for programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), as well as select Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams. Since the launch of category-focused draws in 2023, healthcare professionals — including doctors, nurses, medical technologists, and supervisors — have consistently received high numbers of invitations.
Through 2025, IRCC has conducted three healthcare-specific draws (May 2, June 4, and July 22), with CRS cut-offs ranging from 510 down to 475. These figures highlight a favorable trend for healthcare candidates whose scores may fall below the typical CEC thresholds, which have ranged from 518 to 547 in 2025.
To illustrate, Maple News shares real candidate profiles:
– John, a UK-based doctor with a CRS of 470, narrowly missed the 475 cut-off in July. A minor boost through spousal factors or French language proficiency could make him competitive.
– Maria, a nurse with both Canadian education and work experience, scores 520 — well above all healthcare draw thresholds and eligible for CEC draws.
– Ahmed, a seasoned medical lab technologist, scored 452, under general cut-offs but within reach where IRCC draws dip below 510.
– Sophie, a nursing supervisor nominated by a province, achieved a CRS of 980, making her a guaranteed selection through the PNP stream.
– Daniel, a young paramedic in rural Canada with a CRS of 465, is just shy of recent healthcare cut-offs, but small improvements could tip the balance.
Data from IRCC shows healthcare draws are substantially more accessible than many other categories. CRS cut-offs for healthcare have been 20–40 points lower than those for the CEC. Additionally, strong language abilities or a provincial nomination can dramatically strengthen a candidate’s chance of selection, as seen with Maria and Sophie.
Maple News also notes that targeted draws for French-speaking candidates and other key occupations like education continue, but healthcare remains the most consistently addressed category. The lowest CRS score in 2025 was 379 in a French-language draw, while the lowest healthcare draw held firm at 475.
With Canada facing an ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals, IRCC is likely to maintain — or even increase — the frequency of healthcare-focused Express Entry draws. For eligible candidates in the healthcare sector, 2025 represents a unique and promising opportunity to immigrate with competitive but achievable scores.