Express Entry: Canada holds first healthcare professions draw of the year
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 500 ITAs to candidates in a healthcare and social services category-based draw.
To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 510; and
- Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 4:31 a.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on 21 July 2024.
See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 706 |
| May 2 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 510 |
| May 1 | Education | 1,000 | 479 |
| April 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 421 | 727 |
| April 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 825 | 764 |
| March 21 | French language proficiency | 7,500 | 379 |
| March 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 536 | 736 |
| March 6 | French language proficiency | 4,500 | 410 |
| March 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 725 | 667 |
| February 19 | French language proficiency | 6,500 | 428 |
| February 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 646 | 750 |
| February 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 521 |
| February 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 455 | 802 |
| January 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 527 |
| January 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,350 | 542 |
| January 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 471 | 793 |
Today's draw is the first healthcare draw after the addition of several social services occupations to the category, in February of 2025. The draw also features the highest CRS cut-off score for a healthcare draw to date.
More details on eligibility for this updated category can be found here.
This is the third Express Entry draw of the week and follows the first-ever education category-based selection in Express Entry's history on 1 May and a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on 28 April.
Thus far, IRCC has issued 33,429 ITAs through the Express Entry system in 2025.
Express Entry draws in 2025 have primarily focused on PNP candidates, with the remainder of draws being dedicated to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, and those in IRCC's priority categories for 2025:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 8 |
| French-language proficiency | 3 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 3 |
| Education | 1 |
| Healthcare and social services | 1 |
How long does the Express Entry process take?
An Express Entry profile remains valid for up to one year.
If a candidate receives an ITA within that time frame, the Canadian government aims to process their permanent residence (PR) application within six months.
Processing time is calculated from when a complete application is received until a final decision is made. If a candidate does not receive an ITA within the one-year period, they may resubmit their profile, provided they still meet the eligibility requirements.
Processing times through Express Entry tend to be far quicker than other pathways to Canadian PR, such as base PNP streams or other regional immigration programs. This is due to the fact that even after a province or territory has approved a candidate through their PR selection criteria, IRCC must still approve and finalize the decision before permanent resident status can be conferred to a foreign national—which can significantly add to wait times as a result.
- Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
- Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
