Canada launches faster pathway to attract international doctors and keep them in the health system
Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتسابCanada is rolling out faster measures to attract international doctors and keep practice-ready physicians in the country, as Ottawa tries to ease persistent staffing shortages across the health system. The federal government said it will create a new Express Entry category for international doctors with at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience gained within the past three years, with invitations to apply expected to begin in early 2026.
The plan goes beyond immigration selection alone. Ottawa also said it will reserve 5,000 additional federal admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors with job offers, while nominated physicians will receive expedited 14-day work permit processing so they can start working while waiting for permanent residence. The measures apply to family physicians, general practitioners, surgical specialists, and specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine.
The policy matters because it is tied directly to Canada’s access-to-care problem. Federal figures show that in 2024, about 5.7 million adults in Canada, or 17%, and about 765,000 children and youth, or 11%, reported not having a regular health care provider. That gives the new pathway a wider public-service dimension, not just an immigration one.
The move also fits a broader 2026 shift in Canada’s immigration strategy toward workers who can contribute immediately in sectors facing acute shortages. Reuters reported in February that foreign medical doctors with Canadian experience are part of the revised priority categories under Express Entry, while the Canadian Medical Association has said more than 13,000 internationally trained physicians already in Canada are not currently working in their field.
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Tahani Elghazaly5258 Posts
