Today, the immigration minister of Canada made a healthcare declaration regarding Express Entry for skilled newcomers in healthcare professions. 

IRCC invited over 500 healthcare workers under the new Express Entry category-based selection draws. In the draw, applicants were required to have at least a 476 CRS score. 

This is the first category-based selection draw that took place on May 31 after six new categories were declared.  In addition, the second round will invite over 1,500 applicants to apply. This round will take place on July 5. 

A draw inviting eligible applicants from STEM professions is also expected to take place in the same week. 

 

Healthcare Occupations & Category-Based Selections 

On May 31, IRCC declared that it had finalized the category-based selection for Express Entry. 

Among the six categories, healthcare professions account for the most significant number of eligible occupations. 

  • Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
  • Chiropractors
  • Dentists
  • Massage therapists
  • Dieticians and nutritionists
  • General practitioners and family physicians
  • Instructors of persons with disabilities
  • Kinesiologists & other professional disciplines in therapy & assessment
  • Licensed practical nurses
  • Education counselors
  • Massage therapists
  • Medical laboratory technologists
  • Medical radiation technologists
  • Medical sonographers
  • Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
  • Nursing coordinators and supervisors
  • Optometrists
  • Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
  • Other assisting disciplines in support of health services
  • Different practitioners of natural healing
  • Other professional disciplines in health diagnosing & treating
  • Other technical disciplines in therapy and assessment
  • Paramedical occupations
  • Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
  • Occupational therapists
  • Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
  • Psychologists
  • Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
  • Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
  • Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
  • Specialists in surgery
  • Physiotherapists
  • Therapists in counseling and related specialized therapies
  • Veterinarians

 

Other classifications include: 

  • STEM Professions 
  • Trades
  • Transportation
  • Agriculture/ Agri-Food 
  • Strong French Language Proficiency 

 

Healthcare Worker Shortage In Canada

Healthcare is one of the sectors experiencing an acute shortage of workers. Well, this is because Canada has one of the lowest birth rates worldwide & an aging population. For instance, many reports reveal that approximately nine million Canadians will reach retirement age within the next seven years.  

An older population will create more demand for the healthcare system. Therefore, the country requires immigrants to compensate for the shortfall of younger Canadians to fill these crucial positions. 

The recent job vacancy data obtained from Statistics Canada reveals that there were over 144,500 vacant positions in the social assistance & healthcare sector as of March 2023. 

Numerous territories & provinces already hold draws for healthcare professionals via targeted streams of PNP, i.e., the Provincial Nominee Program. For instance, Alberta recently launched a Designated Healthcare Pathway under AAIP, i.e., Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. In addition, British Columbia invites healthcare workers/ professionals in every BC PNP, while Ontario recently invited over 318 international applicants to fill vacancies in healthcare professions.

In addition to the healthcare declaration being made, category-based selection draws are anticipated to begin this year because of the changes in IRPA in June 2022. The changes imply that Seam Fraser might now select economic immigrants/ newcomers based on critical attributes if they support the economic/ financial priorities of Canada or promote French-speaking immigration to communities outside Quebec. 

As far as the healthcare declaration is concerned, these categories were chosen following the discussions with territorial/ provincial governments along with stakeholders who were able to help IRCC comprehend where the significant labor force gap exists. 

Eligible applicants under the occupation-specific categories need at least six months of continuous work experience in one of the listed professions obtained in the last three years. In addition, this experience can be acquired either in Canada or abroad.