Canada needs more immigrant doctors for its healthcare system.

Feb 12, 2024 / 2 min readspscanadaahd

Federal Government Opens New Health-Care Stream in Canada’s Immigration Program

Canada’s population has grown by more than five million people in the last decade. However, the number of medical residency positions for doctors increased by only 167 during the same period. Because of this imbalance, millions of Canadians struggle to find a family doctor.
A recent report states that over 6.5 million Canadians do not have regular access to one.

As the population grows and the number of trained doctors stays low, the pressure on the health-care system continues to rise. Therefore, both federal and provincial governments are now bringing in more internationally trained professionals to help fill the gap.

Barriers for International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

Immigrants already play a major role in Canada’s healthcare system. According to government data:

  • 23% of registered nurses
  • 35% of nurse aides and related workers
  • 37% of pharmacists
  • 36% of physicians
  • 39% of dentists
  • 54% of dental technologists and related professionals

are all immigrants.

However, many international medical graduates still face serious challenges. CBC News reports that IMGs often struggle to get residency positions in Canada. Medical schools control most residency spots, and they frequently prioritize their own graduates.
As a result, IMGs—despite being fully trained—cannot complete the last step required to practice in Canada.

Dr. Kathleen Ross, president of the Canadian Medical Association, says Canada does not have enough local doctors to meet the country’s needs. She adds that Canada needs foreign-trained doctors, but the system makes it difficult for them to work.

Canada Helps Foreign-Trained Doctors with Credential Recognition

Canada is now taking important steps to fix these problems.
The federal government is investing $86 million in 15 organizations to help 6,600 internationally educated health professionals get their credentials recognized.
This support will help skilled immigrants use their qualifications more quickly and effectively.

Provinces Also Expanding Medical Training Capacity

Several provinces are increasing training opportunities to produce more doctors within Canada:

  • Prince Edward Island (PEI): A new medical school at the University of PEI will open in fall 2025.
  • British Columbia (BC): Simon Fraser University will open a medical school at its Surrey campus in 2026.
  • Ontario: The province plans to add 449 more postgraduate medical training spaces in the next five years, including 154 spaces arriving later in 2024.

These steps aim to grow Canada’s domestic supply of trained doctors while also supporting international talent.

Canada’s Immigration System Supports Health-Care Recruitment

In addition to credential support, Canada is inviting more foreign-trained doctors through its Express Entry category-based draws, introduced in May 2023. These draws focus on attracting skilled healthcare professionals.
Meanwhile, provinces are expanding medical education and training to reduce shortages in the long term.

Summary

Canada is facing a major shortage of doctors, made worse by rapid population growth.
Although immigrants already make up a large share of health workers, many foreign-trained doctors still struggle to enter the system.
To fix this, Canada is increasing immigration streams for healthcare workers, investing in credential recognition, and expanding medical training programs across the country.

Get in touch with SPS Canada

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Canada. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com

(Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad)

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