Overview
- IRCC will create a dedicated Express Entry category requiring at least 12 months of Canadian work experience within the past three years.
- Eligible occupations are general practitioners and family physicians, specialists in surgery, and specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine.
- Invitations to apply under the new physicians category are expected to begin in early 2026.
- Ottawa will reserve 5,000 federal admission spaces for provincial nominations in addition to regular PNP allocations, with 14‑day work permit processing for nominated doctors.
- Medical groups welcomed the move but urged broader reforms on licensing and training capacity, which remain under provincial control and unresolved.