Canada has conducted a new Express Entry draw aimed at candidates working in healthcare and social services occupations, issuing 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) on June 25, 2026. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required was 475 points.
This was the first Healthcare and Social Services round of 2026 since February 20, when IRCC issued the same number of invitations — 4,000 ITAs — but at a lower cutoff of 467 points. The eight-point rise in the cutoff, after a gap of more than four months between healthcare draws, points to a pool of eligible healthcare candidates that has continued to strengthen while the category sat dormant through the spring.
The tie-breaking timestamp for this round was May 21, 2026 at 12:14:09 UTC. Candidates with a CRS score of exactly 475 needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile before that moment to receive an invitation.
Why the Healthcare Category Returned at 475
Healthcare and social services draws sit within Canada’s category-based Express Entry selection, which lets the Minister of Immigration invite top-ranking candidates who have qualifying work experience in a targeted group of occupations. The 2026 healthcare category covers a broad slate of in-demand roles — including registered nurses, nurse aides, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, social workers, and a range of allied health and social-service occupations — reflecting persistent labour shortages across Canada’s health systems.
The eight-point climb relative to the February 20 round reflects two forces working together. The highest-scoring healthcare profiles invited earlier in the year have already left the pool, but the four-month pause allowed new and improving candidates — those gaining Canadian work experience, stronger language results, or provincial nominations — to accumulate. Issuing 4,000 ITAs in a single round pulled deep into the category, and the depth available landed the cutoff at 475.
Express Entry Draws So Far in 2026
With this round, Canada has now conducted the following Express Entry draws in 2026:
- 12 Provincial Nominee Program draws
- 10 Canadian Experience Class draws
- 6 French-language proficiency draws
- 2 Healthcare and Social Services occupation draws
- 2 Physicians (Canadian work experience) draws
- 1 Senior Managers (Canadian work experience) draw
- 1 Trades occupation draw
By comparison, Canada conducted the following Express Entry draws in 2025:
- 24 Provincial Nominee Program draws
- 14 Canadian Experience Class draws
- Eight French-language proficiency draws
- Seven Healthcare and Social Services occupation draws
- Two Education occupation draws
- One Trades occupation draw
Tie-Breaking Rule and Round Number
The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 21, 2026 at 12:14:09 UTC. If more than one candidate held the minimum CRS score of 475, only those who submitted their Express Entry profiles before that date and time received invitations.
This was the 34th round of invitations under Express Entry in 2026 and the 422nd overall since the system launched in January 2015. Candidates who received an ITA have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence, which is typically processed within the six-month service standard.
What Should Candidates Do Next?
If you have qualifying healthcare or social-services work experience and a CRS score in the mid-400s, the June 25 draw is a clear signal that the category is active again — at a cutoff of 475. The fastest way to understand where you stand is to calculate your CRS score with our free Express Entry CRS calculator and compare it against the 475 cutoff.
Candidates sitting just below the cutoff should focus on the highest-leverage CRS gains — a stronger language test result, additional Canadian work experience, or a confirmed provincial nomination. A provincial nomination alone adds 600 CRS points and effectively guarantees an invitation in a future round.
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