IRCC opens First-ever Category-based Express Entry Draw targeting Healthcare Workers

The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has finally started the category based selections in the federal Express Entry System. In the first-ever Category-based draw held on 28 June 2023, the IRCC has targeted the HealthCare Workers and invited 500 candidates to apply for Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) Visa.

Find below more details about this latest Category-based EE draw held on 28 June:

Invitations to Apply (ITAs):

• IRCC issued total 500 invitations to Express Entry candidates with experience in Healthcare occupations.

CRS Score Requirement:

• The Cut Off for this draw was 476 points.
• The candidates with a CRS score equal to or above 476 points received ITA.

Total ITAs in 2023

• With this newest EE system draw, the IRCC has issued a total of 59,548 ITAs this year until date.
• These ITAs were issued in 16 EE draws opened this year until date.

Canada facing Skilled Shortage of Healthcare Workers

The Healthcare category is the largest among six announced categories for 2023, as it contains most, i.e. 35 occupations:

• Audiologists and speech language pathologists

• Chiropractors

• Dentists

• Dieticians and nutritionists

• Education counsellors

• General practitioners and family physicians

• Instructors of persons with disabilities

• Kinesiologists and other professional occupation in therapy and assessment

• Licensed practical nurses

• Massage therapists

• Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations

• Medical laboratory technologists

• Medical radiation technologists

• Medical sonographers

• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates

• Nurse practitioners

• Nursing coordinators and supervisors

• Occupational therapists

• Optometrists

• Other assisting occupations in support of health services

• Other practitioners of natural healing

• Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating

• Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment

• Paramedical occupations

• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants

• Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals

• Physiotherapists

• Psychologists

• Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

• Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists

• Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine

• Specialists in surgery

• Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies

• Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists

• Veterinarians

 Categories chosen for 2023 Express Entry invitation rounds

The categories selected for 2023 Express Entry draws are as follows:

• A strong French language proficiency or
• Work experience in the below fields:

• healthcare
• science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
• trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
• transport
• agriculture and Agri-food

As per IRCC, The second occupation-based Express Entry invitation round of the year, will target Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) experts and will open 5 July 2023.