Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ended an unprecedented week of activity by issuing 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a category-based Express Entry draw targeting healthcare and social-services occupations on February 20. The cut-off Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 467. Combined with three earlier draws since February 16—Provincial Nominee Program, Canadian Experience Class and a low-score physicians-only round—IRCC dispatched 10,670 ITAs in five days, the highest weekly total since the system’s launch in 2015. (immigrationnewscanada.ca)
The surge signals Ottawa’s intent to front-load permanent-resident admissions to meet its 2026 target of 485,000 new immigrants while addressing chronic labour shortages in hospitals and long-term-care facilities. Healthcare employers have welcomed the focused draw, noting that provincial licensing timelines still pose a bottleneck; several provinces are expediting credential-recognition reforms in parallel.
Candidates now have 60 days to file complete electronic applications, including proof of funds, background checks and medical exams. Regulated professions—such as nursing and physiotherapy—require provincial registration, so human-resources teams should initiate licensing steps immediately for sponsored hires to shorten onboarding once permanent residency is granted.
![Record week for Express Entry: 10,670 invitations capped by 4,000-ITA healthcare draw]()
If you’re gathering documents for an Express Entry profile or preparing to travel for credential exams, VisaHQ can streamline the visa and legalization process. Their Canadian resource hub (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step checklists, real-time status tracking and expert support, ensuring applicants and their families submit compliant paperwork on schedule.
The week’s pattern also illustrates IRCC’s flexibility: a physicians draw with an astonishing 169-point cut-off favoured Canada-experienced doctors, while a Canadian Experience Class round invited 6,000 candidates with scores above 508. Analysts expect more frequent, occupation-specific draws as IRCC calibrates intake to sectoral vacancies documented by Employment and Social Development Canada.
Prospective applicants should monitor the next anticipated draw window in early March; CRS scores may fluctuate sharply depending on the occupational focus, so staying profile-ready is crucial.
The surge signals Ottawa’s intent to front-load permanent-resident admissions to meet its 2026 target of 485,000 new immigrants while addressing chronic labour shortages in hospitals and long-term-care facilities. Healthcare employers have welcomed the focused draw, noting that provincial licensing timelines still pose a bottleneck; several provinces are expediting credential-recognition reforms in parallel.
Candidates now have 60 days to file complete electronic applications, including proof of funds, background checks and medical exams. Regulated professions—such as nursing and physiotherapy—require provincial registration, so human-resources teams should initiate licensing steps immediately for sponsored hires to shorten onboarding once permanent residency is granted.
If you’re gathering documents for an Express Entry profile or preparing to travel for credential exams, VisaHQ can streamline the visa and legalization process. Their Canadian resource hub (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step checklists, real-time status tracking and expert support, ensuring applicants and their families submit compliant paperwork on schedule.
The week’s pattern also illustrates IRCC’s flexibility: a physicians draw with an astonishing 169-point cut-off favoured Canada-experienced doctors, while a Canadian Experience Class round invited 6,000 candidates with scores above 508. Analysts expect more frequent, occupation-specific draws as IRCC calibrates intake to sectoral vacancies documented by Employment and Social Development Canada.
Prospective applicants should monitor the next anticipated draw window in early March; CRS scores may fluctuate sharply depending on the occupational focus, so staying profile-ready is crucial.
