A Fast-Track to Canadian Permanent Residence: The New Physician Immigration Pathway
Canada has officially announced a targeted immigration measure designed to fast-track permanent residence for international doctors already practicing in the country, a major initiative aimed at addressing critical shortages in the healthcare system.
Here is a high-level overview of the new pathway and its timeline: What is the New Pathway?
The core of the initiative is a new, dedicated Express Entry category called "Physicians with Canadian Work Experience". This stream is part of a broader government effort to move away from a "one-size-fits-all" immigration approach to better target in-demand skills and fill labour gaps.
Target: The pathway is specifically for foreign physicians who are already contributing to the Canadian healthcare system on a temporary basis.
Key Requirement: To be eligible, applicants must have acquired at least 12 months of continuous, full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in an eligible medical occupation, and this experience must have been gained in Canada within the last three years.
Eligible Occupations: The new category targets three main groups of licensed physicians, including family physicians and general practitioners (NOC 31102), specialists in surgery (NOC 31101), and specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (NOC 31100).
The new category is expected to benefit qualified candidates by having potentially lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-offs in draws, giving them a greater advantage in securing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. When Will it Start?
Invitations to apply under the new "Physicians with Canadian Work Experience" Express Entry category are expected to begin in early 2026.Additional Measures for Physicians
In addition to the new Express Entry stream, the federal government has introduced two other key measures to support physician recruitment:
Reserved Provincial Spots: The government will reserve 5,000 federal admission spaces specifically for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors with job offers. These spots are an addition to the existing annual Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations.
Expedited Work Permits: Doctors who receive a nomination from a province will benefit from expedited work permit processing, with approvals expected within 14 days. This measure allows physicians to begin or continue working while their permanent residence applications are being finalized.
