What this category means
This category responds to labour shortages in health care, allied health and social services.
Category eligibility comes after Express Entry eligibility
You must first qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program and have a valid Express Entry profile. A category does not replace those program rules.
Who may qualify
- Be eligible for at least one of the three federal programs managed by Express Entry.
- Have a valid profile in the Express Entry pool when IRCC holds the round.
- Meet every requirement in the ministerial instructions for that specific round.
- Within the 3 years before the round, have at least 12 months of full-time work experience—or an equal amount of part-time experience—in one listed occupation. The experience does not need to be continuous and may be gained in canada or abroad.
Eligible occupations
IRCC uses the 2021 NOC codes below. Match the lead statement and actual main duties—not only a similar job title.
| Official occupation title | 2021 NOC | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 | 1 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 | 1 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 | 1 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 | 1 |
| Dentists | 31110 | 1 |
| Optometrists | 31111 | 1 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 31112 | 1 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 | 1 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 31121 | 1 |
| Psychologists | 31200 | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 | 1 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 | 1 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 | 1 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 | 1 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 | 1 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 | 1 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 | 1 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 | 2 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 | 2 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 | 2 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 | 2 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 | 2 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 | 2 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 | 2 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 | 2 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 | 2 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 | 2 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 | 2 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 | 2 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 | 2 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 | 3 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | 3 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | 3 |
| Social workers | 41300 | 1 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 | 1 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | 2 |
How category-based selection works
- 01
Qualify for Express Entry
Meet the minimum rules of CEC, FSWP or FSTP and create an accurate profile.
- 02
IRCC identifies eligible profiles
IRCC checks the profile information against the requirements of the announced category.
- 03
Candidates are ranked by CRS
Eligible category candidates are still ranked against one another using their CRS scores.
- 04
Highest-ranking candidates may be invited
The number invited, cut-off, tie-breaker and exact category rules are set for the individual round.
- 05
Submit the permanent-residence application
An invited candidate must prove both program and category eligibility with documents and remain admissible to Canada.
Documents to prepare
- Employer letters confirming position, dates, hours, pay and detailed duties
- Supporting pay, tax, contract or employment records where appropriate
- Evidence that the claimed duties match the listed NOC
- Certified translations for documents not in English or French
- All documents required by the underlying Express Entry program
Important limits
- Meeting a category requirement does not add separate CRS points and does not guarantee that IRCC will hold a round for that category.
- The category occupation list, work-experience period and round instructions can change. The live IRCC page and the instructions for the exact round control.
- An invitation does not remove the need to prove the underlying Express Entry program, the CRS score claimed, category eligibility and admissibility.
- A job title alone is not enough for an occupation category. The evidence must support the correct NOC lead statement and main duties.
Official government sources
General information only. This page was reviewed on the date shown, but IRCC may change categories or instructions without notice. Verify the live government source before relying on any requirement.