Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a focused Express Entry selection category for physicians who have recent Canadian clinical experience. Announced in December 2025, the new \u201cPhysicians with Canadian work experience\u201d category is designed to fast-track practicing doctors into permanent residence by prioritizing clinicians who have already integrated into Canadian care settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first invitation rounds under this category are expected to begin in early 2026. Because IRCC\u2019s category-based draws often have lower cut-offs than general draws, physicians who meet the new in-Canada experience requirement could see a clear advantage in securing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be considered under the new physicians category, an applicant must demonstrate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Candidates must also meet any additional criteria set out in the ministerial instructions for a given round of invitations (for example, language thresholds or documentation standards). Physicians who do not meet these in-Canada experience requirements may still qualify via IRCC\u2019s existing healthcare and social services draws, or through provincial nominee streams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IRCC has limited the new category to three physician occupation groups. Below are the occupations and representative titles, plus a short summary of typical duties that align with the occupational definitions clinicians must meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Typical titles: Family physician, general practitioner, primary care physician, general practice resident.
Typical duties: diagnosing and treating common illnesses, providing preventive care and vaccinations, managing chronic conditions, offering maternity and newborn care where applicable, referring patients to specialists, prescribing treatment and medications, and coordinating continuous primary care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Typical titles: General surgeon, cardiac surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, neurosurgeon, pediatric surgeon, obstetrician-gynecologist, plastic surgeon, ENT surgeon, urologist, vascular surgeon, thoracic surgeon, ophthalmic surgeon.
Typical duties: assessing surgical conditions, performing operations, coordinating pre- and post-operative care, supervising surgical teams, consulting with other specialists about surgical management, and participating in emergency surgical interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Typical titles: Anesthesiologist, cardiologist, dermatologist, diagnostic radiologist, emergency physician, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, hematologist, infectious disease specialist, medical microbiologist, nephrologist, neurologist, oncologist, pediatrician, psychiatrist, pathologist, respirologist, rheumatologist, preventive medicine physician, nuclear medicine physician, hospitalist, physiatrist.
Typical duties: diagnosing and treating diseases of specific organ systems, providing inpatient and outpatient specialist care, performing clinical procedures tied to the specialty (e.g., endoscopy, biopsies), ordering and interpreting tests and imaging, consulting across services, supervising laboratory diagnostics, and contributing to clinical research and quality improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ensure your clinical duties align with the selected NOC, review the occupation\u2019s main duties and the lead statement in the official NOC description for that code. Your work experience should show that you performed most of the main duties and that your role corresponds to the occupation\u2019s lead actions. In practice, selection officers will check employer letters, job descriptions, clinical schedules and supervision records to verify that the claimed experience is accurate and continuous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key distinctions between the new physicians category and IRCC\u2019s broader healthcare and social services category:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the physicians category requires longer in-Canada experience, it is specifically calibrated for clinicians who have already completed significant supervised practice or employment in Canadian settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IRCC\u2019s new Express Entry physicians category narrows selection to doctors with demonstrable, recent Canadian clinical experience and aims to accelerate the arrival of practice-ready physicians into the Canadian health system. If you are a doctor who has worked in Canada for 12 months within the last three years and your duties align with one of the three listed physician NOC codes, prepare your documentation now and ensure your Express Entry profile is accurate and current \u2014 invitations are expected to begin in early 2026 and thorough preparation will position you to benefit from the new stream.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a consultation<\/strong> about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION <\/strong>today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n