Some doctors in Canada, including dermatologists, pediatricians, psychiatrists, surgeons, and many other specialists, now have a faster and easier way to get permanent residence (PR). 

On December 8, the Immigration Minister announced a new Express Entry pathway for physicians in Canada. 

Because special category-based Express Entry draws usually have lower CRS scores, this new stream is expected to help many doctors get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) more easily.

The first draws for this new category are expected in early 2026, and eligible doctors can create or update their Express Entry profile now to be considered.

Who Can Apply For The New Physicians Category?

To qualify for this new category, a foreign national must have work experience in one of the medical occupations listed below (even if it was not their main job).

Their work experience must be:

  • 12 months of continuous full-time work in Canada (or part-time equal to full-time)
  • Completed inside Canada
  • Gained within the last 3 years

Candidates must also meet:

  • Any extra rules mentioned in the ministerial instructions for that specific draw
  • All requirements of an Express Entry program, because this category works inside Express Entry

If someone does not meet these rules, they may still qualify under IRCC’s existing healthcare and social services occupations category, which is broader and includes more jobs.

Medical Jobs Included In The New Category

The new category currently lists only three occupations.

General Practitioners And Family Physicians

NOC Code: 31102

Examples Of Job Titles:

Family physician, general practice resident, general practitioner (GP), medical doctor.

People in this job usually do tasks like:

  • Giving prescriptions and treatments
  • Doing small surgeries
  • Handling emergency or urgent care
  • Giving vaccines
  • Helping with childbirth and giving pre- and post-natal care
  • Advising families about healthy living
  • Offering counselling and support
  • Acting as patient advocates
  • Coordinating primary care
  • Providing continuous care or home-care supervision
  • Reporting important health events like births, deaths, and infectious diseases
  • Examining patients, ordering tests, consulting with other doctors

Specialists In Surgery

NOC Code: 31101

Examples Of Job Titles:

Cardiac surgeon, neurosurgeon, general surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, urologist, pediatric surgeon, obstetrician-gynecologist, ophthalmologist, vascular surgeon, thoracic surgeon, plastic surgeon, otorhinolaryngologist.

These specialists usually do tasks like:

    • General surgeons: Treat injuries and diseases through surgery
    • Obstetricians/Gynecologists: Handle childbirth and pregnancy care
    • Ophthalmologists: Treat eye diseases
    • Urologists: Treat problems of the urinary system
    • Other surgical specialists:
    • Assess patients to decide which surgery is needed
    • Perform surgeries
    • Supervise surgical teams
    • Consult with other doctors

Specialists In Clinical And Laboratory Medicine

NOC Code: 31100

Examples Of Job Titles:

Anesthetist, cardiologist, dermatologist, diagnostic radiologist, emergency physician, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, general pathologist, geriatrician, hematologist, medical microbiologist, nephrologist, neurologist, oncologist, pediatrician, physiatrist, pneumologist, psychiatrist, respirologist, rheumatologist, radiation oncologist, and more.

These specialists usually do tasks like:

  • Anesthesiologists: Give anesthesia before and during surgery
  • General internists: Treat diseases of internal organs
  • Pediatricians: Treat babies, children, and teens
  • Psychiatrists: Treat mental health conditions
  • Allergists/Immunologists: Handle immune system issues
  • Hospitalists: Manage care inside hospitals
  • Neurologists: Treat brain and nerve problems
  • Nuclear medicine physicians: Use radioactive materials to diagnose and treat diseases
  • Dermatologists: Treat skin issues
  • Physiatrists: Handle rehabilitation and physical therapy
  • Preventive medicine doctors: Work on disease prevention and public health
  • Radiologists: Use imaging tools to diagnose problems
  • Other clinical specialists: Diagnose diseases, order tests, prescribe medicine, refer patients, and do medical research
  • Laboratory specialists (including pathologists): Diagnose diseases using lab methods and conduct autopsies

How To Check If Your Work Experience Matches These Jobs?

To be sure which NOC your job falls under, you can visit the official NOC website from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

You can search using:

  • Job title
  • NOC code

Once you are on the occupation page, you can confirm your match if:

  1. Your job fits the description at the top of the page
  2. You have done most of the “main duties” listed for that occupation

If you need more help, you can check IRCC’s detailed guide on how to match your work to a NOC code.

How This New Category Is Different From The Old Healthcare Category?

IRCC already had a Healthcare and Social Services Occupations category, but this new one is different in two main ways:

  1. Where the work experience must be gained
  2. How long the experience must be

Here is the comparison:

Criteria Physicians With Canadian Work Experience Category Healthcare And Social Services Occupations Category
Required work experience 12 months of continuous Canadian work experience (full-time or equivalent part-time) 6 months of continuous work experience (full-time or equivalent part-time)
Location of work experience Must be gained in Canada Can be gained in Canada or abroad
Number of eligible occupations 3 occupations 37 occupations (including many social services roles)

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