The Canada Express Entry Physicians Draw on September 3, 2026 invited 229 physicians to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence. The CRS cut-off was 198.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a category-based draw targeting Physicians with Canadian Work Experience, giving eligible doctors another opportunity to move toward Permanent Residence through Express Entry.
Canada Express Entry Physicians Draw Results
The September 3 round was the third physician-specific Express Entry draw of 2026.
| Draw detail | Result | |
| Date | September 3, 2026 | |
| Draw number | 440 | |
| Category | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | |
| ITAs issued | 229 | |
| Minimum CRS score | 198 | |
| Tie-breaking date | August 6, 2026 at 19:40:38 UTC | |
Candidates who had a CRS score of 198 were subject to the tie-breaking rule. Profiles submitted before the specified date and time were prioritized.
IRCC explains that candidates are ranked according to the CRS and that each invitation round has its own instructions, including the round type, number of invitations and category eligibility.
Canada Express Entry CRS Cut-Off Falls to 198
The biggest development in the latest Canada Express Entry physician draw is the CRS score.
The cut-off dropped from 223 in the previous physician draw on June 24 to 198 in September.
That represents a 25-point decrease.
However, candidates should not interpret this as a general Express Entry CRS reduction. The 198 score applies specifically to the Physicians with Canadian Work Experience category.
For comparison, the Canadian Experience Class draw held on September 1 had a CRS cut-off of 521.
Canada Express Entry Physicians Draws in 2026
IRCC has conducted three physician-specific category-based rounds so far in 2026.
| Date | ITAs | CRS Cut-Off |
| February 19, 2026 | 391 | 169 |
| June 24, 2026 | 271 | 223 |
| September 3, 2026 | 229 | 198 |
Across these three rounds, IRCC has issued 891 ITAs to physicians.
The September draw had the lowest invitation volume of the three, but its CRS cut-off was substantially lower than the June result.
This shows why candidates should avoid predicting future Express Entry draws based solely on the size of a previous round.
Who Qualifies for the Canada Express Entry Physicians Category?
The physician category is specifically designed for candidates with eligible Canadian work experience.
According to the category requirements, candidates generally need at least 12 months of full-time Canadian work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, within the previous three years in an eligible physician occupation.
The experience must have been obtained in Canada.
Candidates must also qualify under one of the three programs managed through Express Entry.
The physician occupations identified for the category include:
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- Specialists in surgery
- General practitioners and family physicians
Meeting the occupational requirement alone does not guarantee an ITA.
Canada Express Entry Physicians Category Is Highly Targeted
The physician draw is different from a general Express Entry round.
Category-based selection allows IRCC to invite candidates who meet specific economic or labour-market priorities.
Because the physician category represents a relatively specialized group, its CRS results can be significantly different from those of larger Express Entry programs.
This is why a CRS cut-off of 198 should not be treated as the new benchmark for all Canada Express Entry candidates.
Why Is the CRS 198 Score Important?
A CRS cut-off of 198 is notable because it is far below the scores seen in recent CEC draws.
However, the low score reflects the narrow eligibility requirements of this particular category.
A physician with a CRS score of 198 could potentially receive an ITA if they met the category requirements and the applicable tie-breaking rule. A non-physician with the same score would not receive an ITA from this physician-specific round.
This distinction is critical for candidates following Canada immigration news.
Canada Express Entry and Canadian Work Experience
Canadian work experience is particularly important for candidates seeking to qualify under the physician category.
International medical professionals who are already working in Canada should carefully review their occupational classification, Canadian work history and Express Entry eligibility.
Candidates should also ensure that their employment documentation accurately reflects their duties and period of employment.
Where professional licensing or regulatory requirements apply, applicants should ensure they understand the requirements of the relevant province or territory.
What Does the Latest Canada Express Entry Draw Mean for Physicians?
The September 3 draw creates another opportunity for eligible physicians already working in Canada.
Physicians with CRS scores near or above 198 may want to review their Express Entry profiles and category eligibility.
However, the result should not be treated as a guarantee for future rounds.
The number of ITAs, composition of the pool and category instructions can change from one round to another.
What Should Physicians Do If They Received an ITA?
Candidates who received an Invitation to Apply should begin preparing their Permanent Residence application immediately.
An ITA is not the final approval.
Applicants must submit a complete application and provide evidence supporting the information declared in their Express Entry profile.
This can include:
- Work experience documents
- Language test results
- Identity documents
- Police certificates
- Medical examination results
- Education documents
- Proof supporting other CRS claims
Candidates should carefully review all information before submitting their application.
Can Physicians With Lower CRS Scores Benefit From Future Draws?
Possibly, but there is no guaranteed minimum CRS score for future physician draws.
The September 3 result demonstrates that the CRS threshold can move significantly between category-based rounds.
Physicians who are not invited should therefore continue monitoring Express Entry and consider whether they can strengthen their profiles.
Potential strategies may include improving language scores, gaining additional eligible experience or assessing other Canada immigration pathways.
Canada Express Entry Physicians Draw: Key Takeaways
The September 3 physician draw is significant for internationally trained and Canadian-working physicians.
The main points are:
- IRCC issued 229 ITAs.
- The draw targeted Physicians with Canadian Work Experience.
- The minimum CRS score was 198.
- The CRS cut-off fell 25 points from the previous physician draw.
- This was the third physician-specific draw of 2026.
- A total of 891 physician ITAs have been issued across the three 2026 physician draws.
- The 198 cut-off does not apply to other Express Entry categories.
- Candidates must meet both Express Entry and physician-category requirements.
For the latest Express Entry, Canada immigration and Permanent Residence updates, follow ImmigCanada.
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum CRS score was 198 in the September 3, 2026 Physicians with Canadian Work Experience draw.
IRCC issued 229 Invitations to Apply in the September 3 physician draw.
No. The 198-cut-off applied specifically to eligible candidates in the Physicians with Canadian Work Experience category.
The category includes eligible specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine, specialists in surgery, and general practitioners and family physicians, subject to the applicable Canadian work experience and Express Entry requirements.
There is no guarantee. CRS cut-offs vary according to the draw type, number of invitations, eligible candidates and ranking within the relevant category.