Immigration to Canada for Healthcare Workers

Healthcare and social services professionals may immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, provincial programs, and regional immigration pathways. However, there is no single universal “healthcare worker immigration program” that automatically applies to every doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional.

Eligibility depends on the applicant’s occupation and NOC code, actual job duties, education, work experience, age, English or French proficiency, educational assessment, Express Entry score, job offer, and the requirements of the intended province.

Applicants must distinguish between:

• Qualifying for immigration or permanent residence.
• Becoming licensed to work in a regulated healthcare profession.

Permanent residence does not automatically authorize a person to work as a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, dentist, physiotherapist, or other regulated professional.

Can healthcare workers apply through Express Entry?

Yes. Healthcare workers may apply through Express Entry if they qualify for at least one of the following programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Trades Program

Many internationally educated healthcare professionals consider the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Applicants with eligible Canadian experience may qualify for the Canadian Experience Class.

An applicant must:

• qualify for an Express Entry program;
• select the correct NOC based on actual duties;
• complete an approved English or French test;
• obtain an ECA when required;
• create a valid Express Entry profile;
• receive a sufficient CRS score for an applicable invitation round.

Creating a profile or meeting a healthcare category requirement does not guarantee an invitation.

Healthcare and Social Services Occupations category

To meet the category requirements, an applicant must generally:

• have at least 12 months of full-time work experience or an equivalent amount of part-time experience;
• have obtained that experience during the previous three years;
• have experience in one occupation included in the current list;
• have obtained the experience in Canada or abroad;
• note that the experience does not have to be continuous;
• qualify for one of the Express Entry programs;
• meet the instructions for the applicable invitation round.

Current eligible occupations

As of August 12, 2026, the category includes:

• NOC 31100, TEER 1 — Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
• NOC 31101, TEER 1 — Specialists in surgery
• NOC 31102, TEER 1 — General practitioners and family physicians
• NOC 31103, TEER 1 — Veterinarians
• NOC 31110, TEER 1 — Dentists
• NOC 31111, TEER 1 — Optometrists
• NOC 31112, TEER 1 — Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
• NOC 31120, TEER 1 — Pharmacists
• NOC 31121, TEER 1 — Dietitians and nutritionists
• NOC 31200, TEER 1 — Psychologists
• NOC 31201, TEER 1 — Chiropractors
• NOC 31202, TEER 1 — Physiotherapists
• NOC 31203, TEER 1 — Occupational therapists
• NOC 31209, TEER 1 — Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
• NOC 31300, TEER 1 — Nursing coordinators and supervisors
• NOC 31301, TEER 1 — Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
• NOC 31302, TEER 1 — Nurse practitioners
• NOC 31303, TEER 1 — Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
• NOC 32101, TEER 2 — Licensed practical nurses
• NOC 32102, TEER 2 — Paramedical occupations
• NOC 32103, TEER 2 — Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
• NOC 32104, TEER 2 — Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
• NOC 32109, TEER 2 — Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
• NOC 32111, TEER 2 — Dental hygienists and dental therapists
• NOC 32120, TEER 2 — Medical laboratory technologists
• NOC 32121, TEER 2 — Medical radiation technologists
• NOC 32122, TEER 2 — Medical sonographers
• NOC 32123, TEER 2 — Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
• NOC 32124, TEER 2 — Pharmacy technicians
• NOC 32129, TEER 2 — Other medical technologists and technicians
• NOC 32201, TEER 2 — Massage therapists
• NOC 33101, TEER 3 — Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
• NOC 33102, TEER 3 — Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
• NOC 33103, TEER 3 — Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
• NOC 41300, TEER 1 — Social workers
• NOC 41301, TEER 1 — Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
• NOC 42201, TEER 2 — Social and community service workers

The list may change. Eligibility must be assessed using actual duties and the current NOC requirements, not the job title alone.

Physicians with Canadian work experience

In 2026, IRCC introduced a separate Express Entry category for physicians with Canadian work experience:

• NOC 31100
• NOC 31101
• NOC 31102

An applicant must:

• qualify for an Express Entry program;
• have at least 12 months of full-time work experience or an equivalent amount of part-time experience;
• have obtained the experience during the previous three years;
• have worked in the qualifying physician occupation in Canada.

This category does not automatically apply to physicians with only foreign experience or to other healthcare workers. Physicians with foreign experience may still qualify through the general Healthcare and Social Services category or another immigration program.

English or French language requirements

English or French language results are mandatory for Express Entry. IRCC accepts:

• IELTS General Training
• CELPIP-General
• PTE Core
• TEF Canada
• TCF Canada

IELTS Academic and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted for Express Entry.

Minimum requirements include:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program: CLB/NCLC 7 in all four abilities
• Canadian Experience Class for TEER 0 or TEER 1: CLB/NCLC 7
• Canadian Experience Class for TEER 2 or TEER 3: CLB/NCLC 5

For IELTS General Training, CLB 7 requires at least 6.0 separately in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Applicants with French results of at least NCLC 7 in all four abilities may also qualify for the French-language proficiency category.

Language results must be less than two years old when the Express Entry profile and permanent residence application are submitted. A professional regulator may require a different test or a higher language level.

ECA is not a professional licence

An Educational Credential Assessment confirms the Canadian equivalency of foreign education for immigration purposes. An ECA does not guarantee employment, recognition by a professional regulator, or a licence to practise.

• For physicians whose primary occupation is NOC 31100, 31101, or 31102, the ECA for the primary medical diploma must be issued by the Medical Council of Canada.
• For pharmacists under NOC 31120 who require a licence to practise, the applicable assessment must be completed by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada.

Other healthcare professionals must use an organization designated by IRCC and separately meet the requirements of the relevant provincial regulator.

Professional licensing

Healthcare licensing may involve:

• credential verification;
• proof of previous registration and experience;
• language testing;
• professional examinations;
• practical assessments;
• additional education or a bridging program;
• supervised practice;
• registration with the provincial regulator.

Requirements vary by occupation and province. Permanent residence does not replace professional licensing.

Other immigration programs

Healthcare workers may also consider:

• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Atlantic Immigration Program
• Rural Community Immigration Pilot
• Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
• temporary work permit pathways

These programs may require an eligible job offer, community recommendation, provincial nomination, language results, education, work experience, and professional registration.

Why healthcare professionals should consider our services

Healthcare immigration requires the immigration program, NOC, language results, ECA, licensing, province, and employment documents to be assessed together.

We can assist with:

• reviewing federal, provincial, and regional pathways;
• assessing the possible NOC based on actual duties;
• estimating the Express Entry score;
• identifying the required English or French level;
• explaining ECA requirements;
• separating immigration requirements from professional licensing;
• reviewing documents for consistency;
• preparing an individualized immigration strategy.

Using a representative is not mandatory. Applicants may submit their own applications. Our services can help reduce errors and organize the process, but we do not guarantee an invitation, visa, permanent residence, employment, or professional licence.