Ontario Makes it Easier for Self-Employed Physicians to Get Permanent Residency
Ontario has recently made significant changes to help self-employed physicians gain permanent residency through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). These changes make it simpler for physicians to qualify for specific streams, even without a job offer, and by including their self-employed work experience. Let’s dive deeper into what this means for physicians.
Self-Employed Physicians Now Have More Opportunities
In the past, many self-employed physicians in Ontario struggled to qualify for the OINP. This is because several streams required work experience as an employee, which didn’t apply to most physicians who are typically self-employed. However, Ontario has updated the program to now allow self-employed work experience in some streams.
Streamlined Pathways Under the OINP
Ontario has made changes to the following streams, making it easier for physicians to apply for permanent residency:
- Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
Before these changes, self-employed physicians couldn’t easily qualify, especially in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), which previously required employment-based work experience.
Self-Employment Work Experience Counts Now
Now, physicians can use their self-employment periods to meet work experience requirements in key streams like Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker. To be eligible, they must have self-employed work experience under these National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes:
- NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery
- NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
This update allows physicians to meet the criteria even if they weren’t traditionally employed by a healthcare institution, expanding their eligibility for permanent residency.
No Job Offer Required for the Employer Job Offer
One of the biggest changes is that physicians no longer need a job offer to qualify under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream. Previously, this stream required a job offer from an Ontario employer, which was a challenge for many self-employed physicians. Now, physicians can apply directly, as long as they meet the following criteria:
- Be applying under NOC codes 31100, 31101, or 31102
- Be registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in a category that permits patient care (e.g., independent practice, academic practice, or postgraduate education)
- Be eligible to receive payment for publicly funded health services
This change opens up new opportunities for self-employed physicians to apply for permanent residency without the typical barriers.
Alignment with Federal Changes
These provincial changes align with earlier federal updates aimed at making it easier for self-employed physicians to qualify for Canadian permanent residency. The federal government introduced a temporary public policy that allows self-employed physicians to count their work experience towards the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
This policy also exempts eligible physicians from needing continuous arranged employment after receiving permanent residency. The best part is that this policy has no set expiry date and will remain in effect until further notice.
Addressing Ontario’s Physician Shortage
These changes reflect Ontario’s growing demand for physicians, particularly with an aging population and increasing healthcare needs. By making it easier for physicians to qualify for permanent residency, Ontario hopes to attract more healthcare professionals to the province.
Other provinces, such as Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba, are also offering similar incentives for skilled immigrants in healthcare. Additionally, in 2023, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced category-based selection draws to prioritize healthcare professionals, including physicians.
How These Changes Tie into the Enhanced PNP Programs
The OINP streams are part of Ontario’s enhanced Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This means they integrate with the federal Express Entry system, giving applicants a strong advantage in the immigration process. If a candidate receives a provincial nomination, they gain 600 extra CRS points, making it highly likely they’ll receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency in the next Express Entry draw.the immigration process. If a candidate receives a provincial nomination, they gain 600 extra CRS points, making it highly likely they’ll receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency in the next Express Entry draw.
Get in touch with SPS Global
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).