Canada Immigration for Doctors and Physicians

Foreign-trained doctors usually immigrate through Express Entry or a provincial nominee program. Since February 18, 2026, Express Entry has a medical doctors category for physicians with at least one year of Canadian work experience in the last three years, under NOC 31100, 31101 or 31102. Licensing is separate: a provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons decides who may practise.

Find the NOC code for your specialty

Last verified: November 2026

169 to 223
2026 cut-offs in physician rounds, the lowest of any category
100
CRS points for a qualifying physician job offer since November 3, 2026
600
CRS points a provincial nomination adds
5,000
Federal admission spaces announced in December 2025 for nominated licensed doctors

The cut-offs are read from the round results IRCC publishes. The Express Entry draws page lists every round.

What is the Express Entry category for doctors?

Since 2023, IRCC has used category-based selection within Express Entry to invite candidates from priority sectors, including a Healthcare and social services category. On February 18, 2026, IRCC announced its 2026 categories and added a dedicated category for foreign medical doctors.

According to IRCC, this category is for international doctors who have at least one year of Canadian work experience, gained in the last three years, in an eligible physician occupation. Work experience must be documented (hours, duties, and pay).

A doctor with no Canadian experience may still qualify for Express Entry through other routes or for provincial nomination, but should confirm current criteria with IRCC. Categories and eligibility change from year to year, so confirm the current list on canada.ca.

Which NOC codes does the category cover?

The eligible occupations IRCC names are general practitioners and family physicians, specialists in surgery, and specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine. They are three unit groups in NOC 2021.

Physician codes in NOC 2021
NOC code	Occupation (unit group)	TEER level
31100	Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (includes, e.g., anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, internal-medicine specialists)	TEER 1
31101	Specialists in surgery	TEER 1
31102	General practitioners and family physicians	TEER 1

Many specialties, such as psychiatry or anesthesiology, sit inside 31100 and have no code of their own. Confirm the exact code for your specialty with the NOC Finder, and verify category eligibility on canada.ca.

How does a foreign-trained doctor get licensed?

Medicine is regulated province by province. Each provincial or territorial College of Physicians and Surgeons decides who may register and practise there. A foreign-trained doctor can hold permanent residence and still need to complete several licensing steps before seeing patients independently.

The path varies by province and by your training and experience, but it commonly involves the following.

Medical Council of Canada (MCC) assessment
International medical graduates (IMGs) generally need to verify their credentials through the MCC (physiciansapply.ca) and pass MCC examinations. The MCC says all who want to practise medicine in Canada must pass the MCC Qualifying Examination (MCCQE). The NAC examination assesses the readiness of IMGs who want to apply to a Canadian residency program or to some provincial Practice-Ready Assessment (PRA) programs.
Postgraduate training or assessment
Many IMGs must complete Canadian postgraduate residency training, with positions matched through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). Provincial PRA programs give an accelerated route to licensure for internationally trained physicians who have completed residency and practised independently abroad. Availability and criteria vary by province.
Provincial College registration
Each province has its own College of Physicians and Surgeons with distinct requirements. Several provinces operate PRA programs. Program names and eligibility change, so confirm directly with the relevant College.
Language and other requirements
The provincial College sets its own language requirement for registration, separate from IRCC's test.

The rule

Immigrating gives you the right to live and work in Canada; it does not give you the right to practise medicine.

IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

What do job offers and nominations add?

Category-based selection works like a general Express Entry round, but invitations go only to candidates who meet the category criteria. In 2026 the physician rounds cut off between 169 and 223, the lowest of any category, and IRCC has held no general round since April 2024. Cut-off scores are not published in advance and vary by round.

Since November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer earns CRS points again (100, 70 or 50), but only in an occupation on IRCC's high-wage occupations list. From March 25, 2025 to November 2, 2026, a job offer added none.
IRCC's list (in effect November 3, 2026, based on 2023 to 2025 data) places NOC 31100, 31101 and 31102 in its top level, where a qualifying offer earns 100 points. A physician offer in those codes qualifies when the doctor is to provide publicly funded medical services.
The points sit in a new labour market integration factor that counts either Canadian work experience points or job offer points, whichever is higher.
A provincial nomination still adds 600 points.
In December 2025 the government announced it would reserve 5,000 federal admission spaces, in addition to the annual PNP allocations, for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors with job offers. Nominated doctors would get expedited work-permit processing (target 14 days) so they can begin working while their PR is processed.

Which immigration programs can a doctor use?

Express Entry, the PNP and the community programs
Pathway	Who it is for	Job offer required?
Express Entry (FSW / CEC) + category selection	Doctors with competitive CRS, or those who qualify for the 2026 medical doctors category (needs Canadian experience).	No. Since Nov 3, 2026, a qualifying offer in a high-wage occupation can earn up to 100 CRS points.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)	Doctors with a provincial job offer or strong ties to a province.	Depends on the stream. A nomination through Express Entry adds 600 CRS points.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)	Doctors with a job offer from a designated employer in NS, NB, PEI, or NL.	Yes, designated employer.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot (closes as of January 1, 2027, a permanent program replaces it) and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot	Doctors willing to work in a participating community.	Often yes (employer or community support).

Program names, intake status, and timelines change. Confirm what is open with the Pathway Explorer, and verify the details on canada.ca.

Which free tool checks your own case?

Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.

What do people ask?

Can a foreign doctor get permanent residence without a Canadian medical license?

Yes. Immigrating and getting licensed are two separate processes. Express Entry and other immigration programs give you the right to live and work in Canada, while a provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons decides who may practise medicine. You can hold permanent residence before you are licensed. The foreign credential recognition guide explains how licensing works for regulated professions.

Do I need to pass Canadian medical exams before applying for Express Entry?

No. IRCC does not require Canadian medical licensing or exam results for Express Entry eligibility. Eligibility generally turns on skilled work experience, language test results and, for foreign education, an Educational Credential Assessment from a designated body. The provincial regulator requires licensing exams separately, if you want to practise. The Express Entry guide lists the program requirements.

What is the new 2026 Express Entry category for medical doctors?

IRCC announced it on February 18, 2026. It is aimed at international doctors with at least one year of Canadian work experience, gained in the last three years, as general practitioners and family physicians, specialists in surgery, or specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine. Categories change yearly, so confirm the criteria on canada.ca. The category-based draws guide explains how category rounds work.

Does a job offer increase my CRS score as a doctor?

It can, since November 3, 2026. A qualifying job offer earns 100, 70 or 50 CRS points when its occupation is on IRCC's high-wage occupations list; IRCC's list in effect November 3, 2026 places NOC 31100, 31101 and 31102 at the top level, worth 100 points for a qualifying offer to provide publicly funded medical services. The offer counts only if it beats your Canadian work experience points, because the new labour market integration factor gives one or the other, never both. From March 25, 2025 to November 2, 2026, a job offer added no CRS points. A job offer can also matter for eligibility under some programs and for a provincial nomination, and a nomination adds 600 CRS points. In December 2025 the government also announced it would reserve 5,000 federal admission spaces, in addition to the annual PNP allocations, for provinces to nominate licensed doctors with job offers. The Express Entry job offer points guide covers the rule.

What CRS score do physicians typically need?

There is no fixed number. In 2026 the physician rounds cut off between 169 and 223, and IRCC has held no general round since April 2024, but the cut-off varies from round to round and IRCC does not publish it in advance. Your score depends on age, language results, education and Canadian experience. Estimate yours with the CRS Calculator and compare past cut-offs on the Express Entry draws page.

Can I work as a doctor in Canada while my PR application is in process?

Only with a valid work permit and the required provincial registration. A work permit alone does not let you practise until the provincial College registers you. The December 2025 measures included expedited work-permit processing, with a 14-day target, for nominated doctors. Canadian work experience gained on a work permit counts toward the medical doctors category. The Work Permit Canada page explains the permit options.

Which province is easiest for a foreign doctor to get licensed in?

There is no single answer, and it is a licensing question for the provincial regulator. Several provinces run Practice Ready Assessment routes for experienced international medical graduates, which can avoid a full Canadian residency, though eligibility and capacity differ and change. Contact the College of Physicians and Surgeons where you want to work. The choosing a province guide compares provinces on other factors.

Where do I find an immigration doctor for the medical exam?

Through IRCC's list of panel physicians. Only a panel physician, a doctor IRCC authorizes to perform immigration medical exams, can do the exam, so your own doctor can do it only if they are on IRCC's list of panel physicians. Search that list for your country or city. This guide covers doctors who immigrate to Canada. The immigration medical exam guide covers the exam itself and what it screens for.

Part of:Immigrating permanently Express Entry

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.

IRCC: Work in Canada temporarily