- Canada will launch a new Express Entry category in early 2026.
- This category is designed to assist doctors trained abroad in their transition to permanent residency.
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the news on December 8, 2025.
Canada plans to launch a new Express Entry category in early 2026 aimed at helping foreign-trained doctors already working in the country make the transition to permanent residency easier.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the update in a statement on December 8, 2025.
The move comes as Canada continues to grapple with a chronic physician shortage and advance broader reforms aimed at strengthening the health-care sector and attracting highly skilled professionals.
What IRCC says
According to IRCC, the new category will focus on international doctors who have accumulated at least one year of recent Canadian work experience in an approved medical position within the past three years. Once the program launches in 2026, eligible candidates will start receiving invitations to apply for permanent residence.
“We are creating a clear pathway to permanent residency for physicians who can help address urgent health care workforce gaps and ensure Canadians have access to stable, reliable care. Invitations for this new Express Entry lane will begin in early 2026,” the department said.
In addition, the federal government plans to allocate 5,000 dedicated admissions slots to provinces and territories, allowing them to nominate medical practitioners with job opportunities. These spaces will be separate from existing Provincial Nominee Program quotas. Nominees will also benefit from expedited processing, including a 14-day work permit while their application for permanent residence is being reviewed.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said this dedicated pathway will help Canada attract skilled international talent and retain doctors who are already contributing to the country’s health care system.
“Canada’s new government is committed to building a strong economy by attracting the world’s top talent and filling pressing workforce gaps. This targeted Express Entry category, coupled with reserved federal admissions slots, will help bring in and retain qualified physicians so communities across Canada receive the care they rely on.” she said.
Maggie Chi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, emphasized that expanding the number of qualified doctors is key to improving timely medical services.
“Attracting skilled health workers is critical to addressing Canada’s health care shortage. Increasing the number of doctors with the expertise our system needs will allow people across the country to receive timely, high-quality care. By working closely with provinces and territories, we are addressing workforce challenges and strengthening the health care system.” Chi added.
Additional background
Canada is preparing to tighten several immigration measures in 2026, even as it launches new pathways for foreign doctors. Study permit quotas will be reduced from 437,000 to 408,000 in 2025, with provinces and territories receiving fixed quotas to manage enrolled students. Graduate students, K-12 students and returning learners at public institutions are exempt from the new restrictions, but other applicants must comply with updated accreditation rules.
From August 2025, everyone applying for permanent residence through Express Entry (including dependents) will be required to complete an immigration medical examination before submitting their application.
Placement fund requirements have also increased for Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates. Now, a single applicant must demonstrate at least $15,263 in funds, an increase of $573 from 2024, with a higher financial threshold for families.
