February 19, 2026
On February 19, 2026, IRCC conducted a historic first-ever Express Entry draw specifically targeting physicians with Canadian work experience. The draw issued 391 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) with a CRS cutoff of just 169. The tie-breaking rule was set at January 3, 2026 at 3:25:14 AM UTC.
This draw targeted foreign nationals working in the following NOC codes: NOC 31100 (Specialists in Clinical and Laboratory Medicine), NOC 31101 (Specialists in Surgery), and NOC 31102 (General Practitioners and Family Physicians).
To be eligible, candidates needed to have accumulated at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience (or equivalent part-time) in one of those occupations within the past three years, performing the essential duties as outlined in the NOC descriptions. They also needed to meet the eligibility requirements of at least one Express Entry program (CEC, FSW, or FST).
A CRS cutoff of 169 is remarkably low compared to other Express Entry draws, which typically see cutoffs of 400 or higher. This effectively means that traditional factors that reduce a candidate's CRS score, such as age or lower language scores, are far less relevant for this draw.
The pool of physicians with at least 12 months of recent Canadian work experience appears to be quite small, likely capturing most eligible candidates. This is an important statistical caveat when interpreting the draw. While the CRS cutoff appears dramatically lower than other draw types, it reflects the size and composition of the eligible pool rather than a broader shift in selection thresholds.
This draw reinforces Canada's commitment to retaining healthcare talent already working in and contributing to the Canadian system. If you are a foreign national working in Canada as a physician and have not yet created an Express Entry profile, this draw should be a clear signal to act.
