Canada Invites 229 Physicians at CRS 198 in Latest Express Entry Draw

Canada has invited 229 physicians with Canadian work experience to apply for permanent residence through the latest Express Entry draw.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the draw on September 3, 2026, issuing 229 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Physicians with Canadian Work Experience category.

The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for the draw was 198.

Latest Express Entry Draw: September 3, 2026

The latest round was Express Entry Round #440 and specifically targeted physicians with Canadian work experience.

The latest physician draw had the lowest CRS cut-off among the three physician-specific draws held in 2026 so far.

Three Physician-Specific Express Entry Draws in 2026

IRCC has conducted three Express Entry draws for physicians with Canadian work experience in 2026.

The first physician-specific round took place on February 19, followed by another on June 24, and the latest round on September 3.

The September draw issued fewer invitations than the previous two physician rounds, but the CRS threshold dropped from 223 to 198 compared with the June draw.

Overall, IRCC has issued 891 ITAs to physicians with Canadian work experience across the three physician-specific rounds in 2026.

Express Entry Draws in 2026

The September 3 physician round is Round #440. The official 2026 dataset begins with Round #389 on January 5 and runs through Round #440 on September 3, representing 52 Express Entry invitation rounds during the period covered by the dataset.
The latest rounds have included selections under the Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Program, French-Language Proficiency, Healthcare and Social Services, Physicians with Canadian Work Experience and other targeted categories.

Recent Express Entry Draws

The draw-level figures above are taken directly from the official 2026 dataset.

2026 Express Entry Draws by Category

Across the 52 rounds listed in the official dataset, Express Entry selections were distributed among nine draw types.

These totals are calculated from the 52 individual rounds in the official dataset, from Round #389 through Round #440.

Canadian Experience Class Leads 2026 Invitations

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) has accounted for the largest number of invitations in the 2026 dataset, with 51,250 ITAs across 15 draws.

The French-Language Proficiency category follows with 50,500 ITAs across 10 draws.

The remaining invitations have been distributed among the Provincial Nominee Program, Healthcare and Social Services, Trades, Physicians, Senior Managers, Transport and Skilled Military Recruits.

Physicians Have Received 891 ITAs in 2026

The three physician-specific draws have collectively issued 891 ITAs.

The February 19 draw was the largest physician round, with 391 invitations and a CRS cut-off of 169.

The June 24 draw issued 271 invitations at a CRS cut-off of 223.

The latest September 3 round issued 229 invitations, with the CRS cut-off falling to 198.

This means the September draw’s CRS threshold was:

• 25 points lower than the June draw
• 29 points higher than the February draw

What Does the Latest Draw Mean for Physicians?

The latest Express Entry draw provides another opportunity for physicians who meet the requirements of the Physicians with Canadian Work Experience category.

The Government of Canada has established a dedicated Express Entry category for medical doctors with Canadian work experience. According to IRCC, eligible physicians need at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience as a medical doctor within the previous three years.

However, receiving an ITA through Express Entry and being licensed to practise medicine in Canada are separate matters. Physicians must meet the applicable provincial or territorial medical licensing requirements to practise medicine in Canada.

Key Takeaway

Canada’s latest Express Entry draw has invited 229 physicians with Canadian work experience to apply for permanent residence.

With a CRS cut-off of 198, the September 3 draw recorded the lowest CRS threshold among the three physician-specific draws conducted in 2026 after the February round’s 169 cut-off.

So far in 2026, physician-specific Express Entry draws have issued 891 ITAs across three rounds, while the 52 rounds in the official dataset have issued a combined 122,656 ITAs.

Latest Draw at a Glance

229 ITAs | CRS 198 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | September 3, 2026