The most recent Express Entry draw that was held on 15 October 2025 and was the
fourth healthcare and social services round of 2025, invited 2,500 applicants for
Canadian permanent residency (PR). The lowest score that the aspirants had to obtain for
getting selected was 472 in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). With this action,
Canada has made it clear that among all the priorities, the health sector staffing is the one
that needs immediate assistance.
Highlights of the Express Entry Draw
● Date of draw – 15 October 2025
● Category – Healthcare & Social Services (category-based draw, version 2)
● Number of ITAs issued – 2,500
● Minimum CRS score – 472
● Rank needed – Top 2,500 candidates (by CRS) in that category
Eligible Occupations for Express Entry Draw
Only 37 occupations in the healthcare and social services field were considered in this draw.
A few of them are –
| Occupation | 2021 NOC Code |
|---|---|
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Audiologists and speech language pathologists | 31112 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Dieticians and nutritionists | 31121 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors | 31300 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Optometrists | 31111 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 |
| Social workers | 41300 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 |
In order to take advantage, you should have a job or a profession that is listed among the
eligible NOC (National Occupational Classification) codes that are used by the IRCC for this
draw.
Comparison with Previous Express Entry Draws for Healthcare in 2025
● Initial draws in May and June 2025 provided only 500 ITAs each along with much higher CRS cut offs (approximately 510 and 504).
● The July 22 draw was the biggest draw in the history, issuing 4,000 ITAs with a CRS cutoff around 475.
● The August 19 draw again gave out 2,500 ITAs while the cutoff was 470.
● Today’s draw (15 October) maintains the number at 2,500 but slightly raises the cutoff to 472, indicating a more competitive situation.
This trend reveals the IRCC is regulating the size and the selection criteria according to the
strength of the candidate pool and the healthcare industry’s demand for labour.
CRS score distribution in the pool as of 13 October 2025
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
|---|---|
| 601 – 1200 | 345 |
| 501 – 600 | 25,411 |
| 451 – 500 | 70,641 |
| 491 – 500 | 12,289 |
| 481 – 490 | 12,571 |
| 471 – 480 | 15,370 |
| 461 – 470 | 15,698 |
| 451 – 460 | 14,713 |
| 401 – 450 | 72,026 |
| 441 – 450 | 13,923 |
| 431 – 440 | 14,694 |
| 421 – 430 | 14,918 |
| 411 – 420 | 14,783 |
| 401 – 410 | 13,708 |
| 351 – 400 | 52,448 |
| 301 – 350 | 19,496 |
| 0 – 300 | 7,975 |
| Total | 248,342 |
All The Healthcare & Social Services Draws in 2025
Canada has organized a number of Express Entry draws this year specifically for the
healthcare sector. The table below shows the entire 2025 draws in overview and the trend of
ITAs and CRS scores.
| Date | Round Type | Invitations Issued | CRS Score (Lowest) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 2025 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations (Version 2) | 2,500 | 472 | Today’s healthcare draw continues around 470 CRS cutoff. |
| 19 August 2025 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations (Version 2) | 2,500 | 470 | Fourth healthcare draw with cutoff stabilizing at 470. |
| 22 July 2025 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations (Version 2) | 4,000 | 475 | Largest healthcare-category draw with a significant cutoff drop. |
| 4 June 2025 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations (Version 2) | 500 | 504 | Second healthcare draw with consistently high cutoff. |
| 2 May 2025 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations (Version 2) | 500 | 510 | First healthcare draw of 2025 with CRS cutoff of 510. |
The trends of these draws undeniably point out that IRCC still practices the stratagem of
increasing or decreasing the number of invitations and cutoff scores in line with the number
of applicants and the healthcare demand in Canada.
More Healthcare Draws in 2025?
Healthcare draws will be likely as per IRCC’s pattern so far and might last until late 2025.
Yet, the number of draws, their frequency and cutoff scores will depend on these factors –
● Healthcare pool’s eligible candidates
● Overall immigration targets set by Canada
● Labour demand fluctuations
● Other ongoing draws (PNP, French-speaking, trades etc.)
So, the healthcare draw is inevitable but the parameters of the next one remain uncertain.
Next Steps for Applicants
● Check eligibility – Make sure your job is on the healthcare draw list.
● CRS improvement – Work on language test scores, get more credentials, and gain
more work experience.
● Submit profile early – It helps if rules about breaking ties apply.
● Stay ready – Always keep your documents, work history, and credentials up to date.
● Check IRCC announcements – They might tell about the next draws or changes in
criteria.
