Healthcare Draw: How Can You Apply?

Canada has been hiring more healthcare workers this year. Express Entry Healthcare solved this issue of the shortage of healthcare workers draws in 2023 to attract and retain nurses, physicians, dentists, and other healthcare professionals.

Express Entry accelerates the immigration process by fast-tracking the applications. The IRCC is trying to process most applications within six months, but this is not always achievable.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) prioritizes Express Entry candidates with strong French language skills or experience in these fields:

• Healthcare

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is a field that combines all these disciplines to solve real-world problems.

• Trades (carpenters, plumbers, contractors)

• Transport

• Agriculture and agri-food

These fields were chosen by analyzing the labor market data and by the consultation of IRCC partners, provinces, territories, and other stakeholders.

This guide will cover all aspects of healthcare draw and how you can apply for one.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is a system that manages applications for three Canadian immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

The candidates in these programs are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on their academic performance. This system scores the candidates according to factors like age, language skills, work experience, occupation, and education. The highest score is 1200, but the majority of the candidates get between 350 and 550.

Those with the highest grades are invited to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

Latest Healthcare Draw Details

On February 14, 2024, the department invited 3,500 candidates in a Healthcare Occupations Express Entry draw. The students who got a CRS score of 422 or more were eligible.

This was the result of a General Express Entry draw on February 13, which invited 1,490 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 535. Then in 2024, there was another category-based draw on February 1 that invited 7,000 candidates with strong French language skills. It has been the biggest draw of the year thus far.

Why Was Healthcare Chosen As A Category?

Canada depends on immigration to fulfill the job openings in the healthcare system. In Q4 of 2022, there were 143,695 job vacancies in the Healthcare and Social Assistance category, which resulted in a job vacancy rate of 6%. This is the sector with the most number of job vacancies in Canada.

One-fourth of all registered nurses and 36% of physicians in Canada were not born in the country. Nevertheless, foreign-trained medical professionals still have a hard time getting accreditation from the Canadian authorities, which makes it difficult for them to find work in their field.

In reply to this, IRCC has come up with ways to make life easier for foreign-trained healthcare workers to get into Canada, by, for example, eliminating some of the barriers for physicians residing in Canada on living on a temporary resident visa.

Eligibility Criteria For Healthcare Draw

• Understand Express Entry: Express Entry is not an immigration program. It is a system that manages applications for certain Canadian immigration programs.

• Submit Your Profile: To immigrate, submit your profile to the Express Entry pool. If you meet certain conditions, including a points total based on various factors, Canada may invite you to apply for permanent residency.

Qualify For A Program 

You must be eligible for one of these programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

• Federal Skilled Trades (FST)

• Get a CRS Score: Based on your work experience, education, age, and language ability, you will receive a score on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This score determines if you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in a draw.

• Healthcare Draws: To be eligible for healthcare draws, you need at least six months of full-time work experience in an eligible healthcare occupation within the past three years.

Below are the steps to Follow:

• Submit a profile to the Express Entry pool.

• Ensure you have at least six months of eligible healthcare work experience in the past three years.

• Wait for an ITA or improve your points to increase your chances of getting an ITA.

• Answer the ITA with your PR application.

• Wait for a decision from an IRCC officer. If approved, you become a permanent resident of Canada.

Eligible Occupations

There are 35 occupations eligible for the Express Entry category-based rounds, as listed below:

In Summary

The Express Entry healthcare draws are a crucial initiative to address Canada's shortage of healthcare professionals. By fast-tracking the immigration process for eligible candidates, the IRCC aims to fill critical vacancies in the healthcare system. 

Candidates must meet specific criteria, including having relevant work experience and a competitive CRS score, to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency. This system not only helps alleviate the labor shortage but also supports foreign-trained healthcare workers in gaining employment in their fields. Understanding and navigating the Express Entry process is essential for those looking to contribute to Canada's healthcare sector.