It’s going to get easier for U.S.-based doctors, as well as those trained in other countries, who have contemplated a move to Canada, to now do so.
The Canadian government has announced new immigration measures for foreign trained doctors. The change is aimed at improving Canada’s health care system by tackling the chronic shortage of physicians.
The promise is for more spots for permanent residency for foreign doctors and to keep them here. That would be a big improvement in Canadians’ access to family doctors, dealing with one of the country’s major health care problems.
The heart of the plan is to fast track immigration for foreign trained doctors.
"So we’ve seen the strain in our emergency rooms. We hear it from families waiting for a doctor. And we feel it from the front line staff who are stretched thin," said Lena Metlege Diab, Canada’s immigration, refugees and citizenship minister.
She said Ottawa has heard the message clearly from patients, provinces and the medical community that more ‘hands on deck’ are needed.
"So we are reserving 5,000 federal admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors who hold job offers," Metlege Diab said. "So when a province or territory finds a qualified doctor, federal caps will not be a barrier. "
And the minister said Ottawa is going even further by speeding up the process of getting more doctors.
"We are launching a new express entry category specifically for international doctors with at least one year of Canadian work experience," she said. "It signals to every doctor here, temporarily, that we value you and we want you to stay. Thirdly and effective immediately for provincially selected doctors we are offering expedited processing of work permits. A doctor will be able to secure a job, get nominated by a province or territory and get their work permit processed in just fourteen days."
In a 2025 national survey called OurCare, it was estimated that nearly six million Canadians were without a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team. Health Canada determined that Canada is short nearly 23,000 physicians.
"All these efforts have a single goal in mind: to grow and strengthen Canada’s health work force so every Canadian can access care where and when they need it," said Member of Parliament Maggie Chi, parliamentary secretary to the federal minister of health.
The Canadian Medical Association applauded the federal immigration changes. Doctor Margot Burnell is the president of the CMA. She said the changes announced are an important step forward.
"Currently it’s estimated that around 13,000 internationally trained physicians in Canada are not working in their field," said Burnell. "The changes announced today will help put their skills to work sooner, close staffing gaps and provide more support to patients."
Burnell said more, however, is needed especially in getting rid of provincial barriers so that doctors will be able to freely move and work from province to province, or where ever they are needed most.
Provinces have been quick to welcome the changes, especially those where doctor shortages have been acute. Places where patients were kept waiting for hours in emergency rooms, some even dying, and where others wait months or even years to see a specialist.
