Updated Express Entry -Healthcare & Social Services Category- Explore the criteria in detail

On February 27, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented significant changes to the Express Entry categories. This included the creation of a new "Education" category and the removal of the "Transport" category. Furthermore, numerous updates were made to the occupations listed under the existing categories. Notably, the healthcare category was expanded to encompass social service occupations. This article will explore the following:

• Eligible Occupations: Which jobs qualify under the updated Healthcare and Social Service Category.
• Eligibility Assessment: How to determine if your work experience meets the requirements for these categories.
• Newly Eligible Roles: A comprehensive list of the newly eligible occupations in the healthcare and social service category, along with example job titles.
• Increased PR Chances: How Express Entry categories can enhance an individual's likelihood of receiving Canadian PR.

What Occupations Fall Under the Healthcare and Social Service Category?

Canada utilizes the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system to categorize jobs based on their roles and responsibilities. The table below details all the occupations included in the augmented healthcare and social services category, with the occupations added in 2025 highlighted in bold.

How to Determine Your Work Experience Eligibility

To be eligible under the healthcare and social services category, you must have accumulated at least six months of continuous full-time work experience (or an equivalent amount of part-time experience) in a single qualifying occupation within the past three years.

Follow these steps to ascertain if your work experience aligns with the eligible NOCs:

Step 1: Identify Your NOC Code

Visit the Government of Canada’s NOC page and use the "Filter items" search bar to find the NOC code and occupation title that best match your work experience. Try various keywords and alternative job titles if your initial search is unsuccessful. Note the corresponding TEER category and NOC code.

Step 2: Verify Main Duties

Go to the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) webpage and click on the "Search by NOC Code" tab. Enter the NOC code you identified and review the "main duties" section. Ensure your work experience aligns with the lead statement and that you have performed a substantial number of the main duties, including all essential duties outlined in the NOC description.

Step 3: Confirm Category Eligibility

Visit the Express Entry category-based selection page. Under "find out who’s eligible for each category", select "healthcare and social service occupations". Check if your occupation and its NOC code are listed. If they are, your occupation is likely eligible for this category.

Newly Eligible Occupations and Example Job Titles

The following table lists the newly eligible occupations within the healthcare and social service category, along with some example (alternate) job titles:

How can Express Entry categories increase someone’s chances of receiving Canadian PR?

Qualifying for a category-based draw significantly increases your likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for PR through Express Entry. This is because category-based draws often have a considerably lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement compared to general or Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws.

In category-based draws, IRCC exclusively invites candidates who meet the specific criteria of the category. This makes these draws much less competitive than broader invitation rounds.

For instance, in 2024, the CRS cut-off for general draws ranged from 524 to 549. However, during the same period, the CRS cut-off for healthcare occupations ranged between 422 and 463. This demonstrates that candidates whose CRS scores might not be high enough for general or program-specific draws could still have a better chance of receiving an ITA if their occupation is identified as in demand by Canada.

How does Express Entry Work?

Canada's Express Entry system does not allow foreign nationals to apply for PR directly. Instead, they must first receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) after meeting the eligibility criteria for one of the three federal immigration programs managed under Express Entry:

• The Canadian Experience Class
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program

Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements for at least one of these programs is necessary to create an Express Entry profile.

Candidates are then ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which awards points based on factors such as age, education, work experience, and language1 proficiency.

Express Entry draws are conducted regularly, and candidates with the highest CRS scores who meet the eligibility criteria are invited to apply for PR. Upon receiving an ITA, candidates have 60 days to submit a complete PR application.

These draws can be:

• General
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Program-specific
• Category-specific

Category-based draws specifically target individuals with particular work experience or language skills that align with Canada's economic priorities.

This year, IRCC has announced six Express Entry categories:

• Healthcare and social services occupations
• Education occupations
• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations
• Trade occupations
• Agriculture and agri-food occupations
• French-language proficiency

To know more and apply for immigration to Canada in 2025, you may get in touch with our seasoned and registered Canada migration expert on Toll-Free No. 78-18-000-777 or you can drop us an e-mail at info@visasavenue.com.

- Rajneesh Kumar