Canada Invites 229 Physicians to Apply for Permanent Residence in Express Entry Draw #440

On **September 3, 2026**, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry Draw #440, issuing **229 Invitations to Apply (ITAs)** to foreign medical doctors with documented Canadian clinical experience. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of **198 points** to receive an invitation.

This round represents the third targeted selection of 2026 specifically designed for general practitioners, family physicians, clinical specialists, and surgeons practicing inside Canada. By dropping the CRS threshold to 198—down from 223 points in the June physician draw—IRCC continues to leverage category-based selection to transition internationally trained medical doctors into permanent residents.

Directed by Vineet Tiwari, a practicing licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC # R535983), Liberty Immigration monitors real-time Express Entry pool distributions and category draw trends. This analysis breaks down the September 3 **express entry physician draw september 3 2026** results, compares all 2026 physician selections, explains why CRS thresholds for doctors remain drastically lower than standard CEC draws, and outlines the mandatory licensing and experience criteria required for permanent residence.

1. 2026 Physician Category Trend: All 3 Draws Compared

Throughout 2026, IRCC has conducted three dedicated draws for "Physicians with Canadian Work Experience". Because the eligible pool of licensed physicians working in Canadian health authorities is tightly restricted by provincial medical college licensing, these draws feature smaller invitation volumes paired with exceptionally low CRS thresholds.

2. Why CRS Cut-Off Scores for Physicians Are So Low

Prospective applicants frequently ask why a highly educated, highly compensated profession like medicine carries a CRS cut-off of just 198, while general CEC candidates need 520+ points. Several systemic factors explain this dynamic:

• Niche Pool Size: The pool of foreign-trained physicians who hold active provincial medical licenses and documented Canadian clinical experience is small. Because IRCC draws nearly the entire qualified pool during each round, competition within the category is minimal.
• Age Penalty Offset: Many internationally trained physicians enter Canada later in their careers (often in their late 30s or 40s) after completing medical school, residencies, and fellowship training abroad. Under the standard CRS scoring system, candidates lose up to 110 points for age. Category draws eliminate this age penalty obstacle.
• Minimal Profile Information: Many working doctors create basic Express Entry profiles without listing foreign credentials or extensive language re-tests because category criteria require only 12 months of Canadian medical work experience to qualify for selection.

3. Mandatory Eligibility Criteria for the Physician Category

To receive an ITA under the "Physicians with Canadian Work Experience" category, candidates must satisfy strict federal and provincial professional standards:

A. Qualifying NOC Code Classifications

Primary work experience must be accumulated under one of three specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:

• NOC 31100: Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine.
• NOC 31101: Specialists in surgery.
• NOC 31102: General practitioners and family physicians.

B. Work Experience & Licensing Requirements

• 12 Months of Canadian Work Experience: Must have accumulated at least 1,560 hours (1 year full-time or equivalent part-time) of continuous or non-continuous clinical practice in Canada within the 3 years preceding application.
• Provincial/Territorial Medical Licensing: Must hold active registration or a valid practicing license issued by the relevant provincial medical regulatory authority (such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, CPSBC, or CPSA).
• Language Proficiency: Achieve at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French across all four competencies.

4. September 2026 Express Entry Draw Sequence

The September 3 physician round continues an active start to September selection rounds following late August activity:

• August 31, 2026 (Draw #438): Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream – 562 ITAs issued at CRS 697.
• September 1, 2026 (Draw #439): Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – 2,000 ITAs issued at CRS 521.
• September 3, 2026 (Draw #440): Physicians with Canadian Work Experience – 229 ITAs issued at CRS 198.

With 52 draws completed in 2026, IRCC has issued a cumulative total of **122,656 ITAs** across all program streams. Candidates holding medical credentials, French proficiency, or trade skills continue to secure permanent residence invitations at scores far below general pool averages.

To review provincial healthcare nomination streams, explore our report on B.C.'s 2026 healthcare and childcare quota targets and the B.C. rural health support PR pathway extension.

For details on processing timelines and other category streams, review IRCC's August 2026 PR processing times update, how language points work in Ontario's OWPS stream, and Canada's direct-to-PR pathway for Francophone students.

Top 5 FAQs: Express Entry Physician Draw September 3 2026