Round #440 set a CRS cut-off of 198
IRCC held Express Entry round #440 on September 3, 2026 at 11:18:08 UTC and issued 229 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence. The round was limited to the Physicians with Canadian Work Experience category, 2026-Version 1, and the lowest-ranked candidate invited had a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 198.
The tie-breaking rule was August 6, 2026 at 19:40:38 UTC. A candidate with a score of exactly 198 was ranked for this round only if their Express Entry profile had been submitted before that time.
Only eligible physicians in the category were ranked
This was not a general round, and it was separate from the healthcare and social services category. The category requires at least 12 months of full-time Canadian work experience, or an equal amount of part-time experience, within the past three years in one of the listed physician occupations. The experience does not have to be continuous, but it must be Canadian work experience.
The listed occupations are specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (NOC 31100), specialists in surgery (NOC 31101), and general practitioners and family physicians (NOC 31102).
Express Entry program eligibility still applies
A candidate also had to be eligible for at least one of the three Express Entry programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Meeting the occupation requirement and the CRS score alone did not create eligibility.
Invited candidates have 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application. Their work history, category eligibility and everything claimed in the profile must be supported by the required documents and remain accurate when they apply.