Eligibility for the Express Entry Healthcare and Social Services Category

By Joseph Parker [Published 02 Apr, 2025 | 05:29 AM] 570

On February 27, 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced significant changes, including the creation of a new "Education" category and modifications to several existing categories. Canada’s immigration system is constantly evolving.

Among the most noteworthy changes is the expansion of the healthcare category to include social services occupations, giving professionals like pharmacists, social workers, and dental hygienists a better chance to secure Canadian Permanent Residence through Express Entry.

What Does the Update Mean for Healthcare and Social Services Professionals?

The revised healthcare and social services category includes a wide range of occupations, providing more professionals with the opportunity to qualify for category-based draws. These draws allow candidates with relevant work experience to be invited to apply for PR with a lower CRS.

This is particularly beneficial for those in the healthcare and social service sectors, as many occupations in these fields are in high demand across Canada. Canada classifies occupations using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system, which groups jobs based on their duties and responsibilities.

Which Occupations Are Now Eligible?

Under the updated healthcare and social services category, several new occupations have been added, while others have been augmented. The table below outlines the occupations now eligible for Express Entry under this category:

Job Title	NOC Code
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians	32104
Audiologists and speech language pathologists	31112
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists	32123
Chiropractors	31201
Dental hygienists and dental therapists	32111
Dentists	31110
Dieticians and nutritionists	31121
General practitioners and family physicians	31102
Licensed practical nurses	32101
Massage therapists	32201
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations	33101
Medical laboratory technologists	32120
Medical radiation technologists	32121
Medical sonographers	32122
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates	33102
Nurse practitioners	31302
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors	31300
Occupational therapists	31203
Optometrists	31111
Other medical technologists and technicians	32129
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating	31209
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment	32109
Paramedical occupations	32102
Pharmacists	31120
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants	33103
Pharmacy technicians	32124
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals	31303
Physiotherapists	31202
Psychologists	31200
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses	31301
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists	32103
Social and community service workers	42201
Social workers	41300
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine	31100
Specialists in surgery	31101
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies	41301
Veterinarians	31103

How Do You Know If You Qualify?

To determine if your work experience qualifies for the healthcare and social services category, you need to meet specific eligibility criteria. First, candidates must have at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work) in a single occupation that qualifies under this category within the last three years.

To verify your eligibility, follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit the NOC Website: Start by identifying the NOC code and job title that corresponds to your work experience. You can use the NOC "Filter Items" search bar to find relevant job titles.

Step 2: Check the Main Duties: Verify that your experience aligns with the lead statement and main duties of the NOC description. Make sure you have performed a substantial number of the duties listed.

Step 3: Confirm Eligibility: Visit the Express Entry category-based selection page to check if your NOC code is listed under the healthcare and social service occupations category. If it is, you may be eligible for category-based selection.

Calculate Your CRS Points

Newly Eligible Occupations and Examples

Some of the newly eligible occupations and their example job titles include:

NOC Occupation title	Example job titles
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians	Laboratory animal technician Registered veterinary technician (RVT) Veterinarian assistant Veterinary technologist
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists	Cardiac stress technologist Cardiology supervisor Electrocardiographic (ECG) technologist Electrocardiography technologist Electroencephalograph (EEG) technologist Electromyography (EMG) technologist Electroneurodiagnostic (END) technologist Electroneurophysiology (ENP) technologist
Dental hygienists and dental therapists	Dental nurse
Other medical technologists and technicians	Dietary technician Food and nutrition technician - dietetics Ocularist Ocularist technician Orthotic technician Orthotist Prosthetic technician Prosthetist
Pharmacists	Pharmacy technician supervisor
Pharmacy technicians	Aboriginal outreach worker Addictions worker Child and youth worker Community development worker Community service worker Crisis intervention worker Developmental service worker Drop-in centre worker Family service worker Group home worker Income maintenance officer - social services Life skills instructor Mental health worker Rehabilitation worker - social services Social services worker Veteran services officer Welfare and compensation officer Women's shelter supervisor Youth worker
Social workers	Coordinator of social work Medical social worker Psychiatric social worker Social work supervisor

For social service professionals, roles such as social worker, addictions worker, and youth worker are now included, broadening the scope for those working in these critical fields.

How Category-Based Draws Increase Your Chances of PR?

Category-based draws can significantly improve a candidate’s chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian PR. Unlike general Express Entry draws, category-based draws invite candidates who meet specific category criteria, making these draws less competitive.

In 2024, the CRS cut-off for healthcare occupations ranged between 422 and 463, which is much lower than the general CRS cut-off range of 524 to 549. For example, if your CRS score is below the threshold for a general draw, but you qualify under this category then you may receive an ITA.

Understanding Express Entry

Express Entry is Canada’s primary system for managing immigration applications under three federal programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Candidates must create an Express Entry profile and are ranked based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which takes into account factors such as age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.

Conclusion

The recent expansion of Express Entry’s healthcare and social services category offers significant opportunities for skilled professionals in these fields. With more occupations eligible for category-based draws, candidates with work experience in these areas now have a better chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply for PR. If you work in one of the eligible occupations, check your eligibility today and take a step closer to making Canada your new home.

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Source: canada.ca

Tags: Canada Immigration Canada PR Visa Express Entry Social Services Category Healthcare Services Category Express Entry Eligibility Canada Immigration News