Canada Invites 4,000 Candidates in Healthcare and Social Services Draw
Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 4,000 candidates in the healthcare and social services category to apply for permanent residence, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 467.
The draw, held on February 20, 2026, targeted candidates in 37 healthcare and social services occupations, including physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and social workers.
Candidates who received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) have 60 days to submit their complete permanent residence application. This draw is part of Canada’s efforts to address labor shortages in the healthcare sector.
The CRS score of 467 is below the recent 8-draw average of 480, indicating a strong focus on healthcare occupations. This draw is the first healthcare and social services category draw of 2026 and has one of the largest invitation volumes seen in the past 12 months.
IRCC has not yet released further details on the draw, including the number of candidates invited in each occupation or the distribution of CRS scores.
