Canada | New permanent residence path announced for international doctors

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a new Express Entry category for international doctors, filling critical health workforce gaps by creating a simpler path to permanent residence.

Key Points:

• To be eligible for the new Express Entry category, individuals must have at least one year of Canadian work experience as a general practitioner, family physician, specialist in surgery or specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine, gained within the last three years.
• The government will reserve 5,000 federal admission spaces, in addition to the annual Provincial Nominee Program allocations, for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors with job offers.
• Invitations to apply for the new Express Entry category will be issued in early 2026.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2025 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.