In a major policy move announced on December 8, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) unveiled a package of measures designed to make it far easier for internationally-trained physicians who are already working in Canada to transition from temporary status to permanent residence.
At the heart of the announcement is a brand-new Express Entry category, “Physicians with Canadian Work Experience.” Doctors who have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time, paid experience in an eligible medical occupation during the previous three years will be able to compete only against other physicians in the Express Entry pool, drastically lowering the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off they must meet. The government will also reserve 5,000 additional permanent-residence spaces under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specifically for physicians. Provinces will be able to nominate practice-ready doctors and obtain expedited work-permit processing for them, ensuring they can start work in Canadian facilities within weeks instead of months.
![Canada Creates New Express Entry Category and Fast-Track Permanent Residence for International Doctors]()
The initiative grew out of consultations with provincial health ministries after record staffing shortages forced several hospitals to scale back emergency-department hours this autumn. Ottawa estimates that Canada is short more than 10,000 family doctors and specialists; nearly one in five Canadians report that they cannot obtain timely primary care. By creating a dedicated pathway, the federal government hopes to retain the 3,700 foreign doctors who are already in Canada on temporary work permits and to attract new talent from abroad.
For employers and relocation managers, the changes materially alter retention strategies. Hospital networks will gain a powerful recruiting tool, while medical residents finishing Canadian programs will no longer have to rely on employer-specific work permits that tie them to a single institution. Immigration lawyers caution that physicians must still meet licensure requirements and may need a provincial ‘return-of-service’ agreement, but the immigration hurdle will be much lower. Corporate benefits managers should review relocation packages to ensure they cover the costs of the new permanent-residence applications and any associated legal fees.
Practically, physicians who meet the criteria can submit or update their Express Entry profile immediately. IRCC says the first occupation-specific draw could occur as early as January 2026, with processing times targeted at six months. Provinces are expected to publish their nomination criteria within the next two weeks, giving hospitals time to prepare lists of priority candidates. The accelerated pathway underscores Canada’s broader strategy of using targeted immigration to fill critical labour gaps while maintaining public confidence in the immigration system.
At the heart of the announcement is a brand-new Express Entry category, “Physicians with Canadian Work Experience.” Doctors who have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time, paid experience in an eligible medical occupation during the previous three years will be able to compete only against other physicians in the Express Entry pool, drastically lowering the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off they must meet. The government will also reserve 5,000 additional permanent-residence spaces under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specifically for physicians. Provinces will be able to nominate practice-ready doctors and obtain expedited work-permit processing for them, ensuring they can start work in Canadian facilities within weeks instead of months.
The initiative grew out of consultations with provincial health ministries after record staffing shortages forced several hospitals to scale back emergency-department hours this autumn. Ottawa estimates that Canada is short more than 10,000 family doctors and specialists; nearly one in five Canadians report that they cannot obtain timely primary care. By creating a dedicated pathway, the federal government hopes to retain the 3,700 foreign doctors who are already in Canada on temporary work permits and to attract new talent from abroad.
For employers and relocation managers, the changes materially alter retention strategies. Hospital networks will gain a powerful recruiting tool, while medical residents finishing Canadian programs will no longer have to rely on employer-specific work permits that tie them to a single institution. Immigration lawyers caution that physicians must still meet licensure requirements and may need a provincial ‘return-of-service’ agreement, but the immigration hurdle will be much lower. Corporate benefits managers should review relocation packages to ensure they cover the costs of the new permanent-residence applications and any associated legal fees.
Practically, physicians who meet the criteria can submit or update their Express Entry profile immediately. IRCC says the first occupation-specific draw could occur as early as January 2026, with processing times targeted at six months. Provinces are expected to publish their nomination criteria within the next two weeks, giving hospitals time to prepare lists of priority candidates. The accelerated pathway underscores Canada’s broader strategy of using targeted immigration to fill critical labour gaps while maintaining public confidence in the immigration system.
