Significant leap in Express Entry: 4000 ITAs for healthcare professionals

On July 22, 2025, the Government of Canada conducted a mass lottery, issuing 4000 invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the category: Health and Social Service Occupations . Candidates invited had an Express Entry profile created before 13:08 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on March 13, 2025 and achieved a minimum required score was 475 on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

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In this blog, you will find a summary of the most recent rounds for the Health and Social Service Occupations category, tips for adding points to your application and the benefits of Express Entry category selection in 2025. Let's get started! 

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Summary of Express Entry Rounds for Healthcare and Social Service Occupations (2025)

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The Express Entry system saw a significant jump in invitations issued: while the first rounds in the Healthcare and Social Service Occupations categories invited 500 candidates last May and June, respectively, the most recent round shot that number to 4,000 invitations. Below is a breakdown of the specific 2025 rounds to date:

Round #345 of May 2, 2025

• Invitations issued (ITA): 500
• Minimum CRS score: 510
• Relevance: this was the first 2025 round for this category, establishing a CRS threshold at the upper end of the range for the sector.

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Round #349 of June 4, 2025

• Invitations issued (ITAs): 500
• Minimum CRS score: 504
• Relevance: the second round issued the same number of invitations but with slightly lower minimum CRS scores, which opens up more eligibility.

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Round #357 of July 22, 2025 

• Invitations issued (ITAs): 4000
• Minimum CRS score: 475
• Relevance: as of the date of publication of this article, this has been the round with the most invitations (ITA) for the health and social services category in 2025. The difference is abysmal, because the previous months of 2025 saw 1000 candidates invited in total, and this new issue was 4000, along with a much, much lower CRS score (475), this translates into a need for the country to attract health professionals to fill jobs in Canada and access permanent residency.

In total, in 2025, 5000 ITAs have been issued specifically for candidates in health and social service occupations through these category selection rounds.

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Priority categories for 2025

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1. Occupations in the health and social services field
2. Proficiency in French
3. Commercial occupations
4. Educational occupations

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Which adds points to your application for the Health and Social Services Occupations category.

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Here is everything that adds value to your migration profile: 

• Speak English and/or French. The language is very important to work in Canada and, even more, to apply for Express Entry. This language can earn you up to 150 points if you master it at an advanced intermediate level (B2). 
• Demonstrate language proficiency with internationally recognized certified tests, such as CELPIP or IELTS for English and TEC or TEF for French.

• Submit Educational Credentials Assessed (ECA) for your academic level. This is obtained after an evaluation of your educational credentials to verify that your foreign degree, diploma or certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a Canadian one. Learn more about the ECA.

• Have a minimum of 12 months of experience in the health care field. The Canadian government takes very much into account the years of service that the foreigner has managed to accumulate in his area of work while in his country of origin, if he has completed one year in his job, then he already has a step ahead!

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Express Entry benefits by category

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Canada is constantly looking for qualified foreigners for its workforce, and since there are so many fields that are understaffed, the government is opening up specific opportunities in different fields, such as healthcare. Hence, the Express Entry system and category rounds become the most direct route for them to come and make a life in this prosperous country. This brings multiple benefits, such as:

• If the applicant is invited by the Canadian government, he/she may arrive in Canada with permanent residence.
• Your partner and dependent children may come with you.
• You do not have to find a Canadian employer to hire you and then apply, Express Entry by category brings you straight in.
• The profile you have built in your home country is what the IRCC will take into account for permanent residency.
• You do not have to have studied in Canada.
• Unlike the general rounds, Express Entry by category seeks to attract qualified professionals in high-demand sectors, such as healthcare, allowing candidates to enter with lower scores in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

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Express Entry and types of invitation rounds

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Express Entry is Canada's fast-track entry system, an immigration selection process conducted by the government throughout the year in rounds to invite applicants to apply for permanent residence. 

Types of rounds:

• Category-based invitation rounds

These are those established by IRCC to meet a specific economic objective, such as health, in this case. The Canadian government invites top-ranked candidates from the group that are eligible for this category.

• General invitation rounds

The government invites top-ranked candidates in the pool who are eligible for 1 of the 3 programs administered through Express Entry.

• Rounds of program-specific invitations

The government invites top-ranked candidates who are eligible for a specific Express Entry program. For example, if you are conducting a round specifically for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), you would only invite candidates who are eligible for the PNP.

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Recommendations for a successful application

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If you do not yet have the above elements that add points to your immigration profile, then follow these recommendations:

• Take advantage of your time in your home country by gaining work experience and/or improving your academic profile; this should match your health profession.
• If you do not yet speak the language at B2 level, then you should take English and/or French courses with a focus on Express Entry..
• Prepare to take certified language tests, IELTS, Celpip. TEC, TEF. 
• Seek information from reliable and recognized sources in the Canadian immigration field; remember that there are many people who take advantage of these good opportunities to offer fraudulent or misdirected services. It is best to read the official government website, our Immiland Canada blog, among other formal sources.
• Perform the certified translation of all your academic degrees, labor evidence, birth certificate, marriage certificate, among others. 
• If your visa is approved, ensure a smooth arrival at your new home.
• This 2025, Express Entry by category is focused on the healthcare sector, so take advantage of this trend in immigration. It's a good time to make your profession count! 

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I hope this topic has been helpful in understanding the Express Entry application process for the health category.

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Use our Express Entry calculator and find out if you are eligible to apply: https://www.immilandcanada.com/calculadora-crs. For more information, please contact us at and we will be happy to help you.

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Thank you for reading this entire article. We would love to get your feedback at the end of this blog and for you to follow us on our social media platforms and networks, from there you can interact with us on Canadian immigration issues.

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Successful application!

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With love,

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Immiland Canada