Immigrant doctors offered PR path as medical association urges further reforms

Medical associations are applauding the federal government for introducing permanent pathways and additional immigration nominations for internationally trained doctors.

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Medical associations are applauding the federal government for introducing permanent pathways and additional immigration nominations for internationally trained doctors, but are urging Ottawa to implement further healthcare reforms to secure the recruitment and retention of doctors in Canada.

During a press conference in Toronto, Liberal Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, along with MP Maggie Chi, the parliamentary secretary to the health minister, announced the government would be creating a permanent residence pathway for internationally trained doctors who have at least one year of Canadian experience in their field, gained within the last three years, starting in 2026.

Diab said the move is aimed at helping to fill gaps in Canada’s healthcare labour market in a system in dire need of doctors.

“For provincially selected doctors, we are offering expedited processing of work permits, and I can tell you that’s a big deal,” Diab said. “A doctor will be able to secure a job, get nominated by a province or territory, and have their work permit processed in just 14 days, allowing them to focus on what matters: treating patients while they wait for permanent residency.”

A government release of the plan noted that in 2024, around 5.7 million, 17 per cent of Canadian adults and 11 per cent of children and youth reported not having a family doctor. A recent poll by Angus Reid Institute and the Canadian Cancer Society found that Canadians without a regular physician were more than twice as likely to struggle to book cancer screenings and non-emergency medical care.

Over the last couple of months, Conservatives and healthcare professionals have raised concerns at House of Commons health committee meetings about internationally trained doctors already in Canada not being able to work due to limited training capacity and barriers to physicians obtaining credentials and licenses.

Experts and the official opposition argue that the federal government could introduce a streamlined, nationally recognized license, remove some interprovincial barriers, and allocate training spots to internationally trained doctors who want to work in Canada rather than to foreign nationals who return to their home countries once licensed.

Chi added the federal government would now also be helping internationally trained workers obtain the “necessary credentials to work in Canada,” through a “foreign credential recognition action fund to streamline the credentialing process.”

“These are physicians who are already working in Canada temporarily, helping patients and contributing to our healthcare system,” Chi said. “We’re helping them stay in Canada so they can continue providing care to Canadians.”

Margot Bunnell, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, welcomed the announcement but noted that Canada’s healthcare system needs further reforms to address shortages.

“Currently, it’s estimated that around 13,000 internationally trained physicians in Canada are not working in their field,” Bunnell said. “The changes announced today will help put their skills to work sooner, close staffing gaps, and provide more support to patients.”

She said the Canadian Medical Association still hopes to see additional reforms.

“The CMA is recommending a concierge-style pathway to guide internationally trained physicians through every step of coming to Canada and getting licensed to practice that would include coordinating immigration regulatory assessment and employment pathways,” she added. “It’s important also to create a single intake portal to assess training exams and immigration eligibility, including background criminal checks and certificates of good conduct.”

Bunnell noted that bringing in qualified immigrants alone won’t fix the issue, as Canada’s licensing frameworks “limit” where and how internationally trained physicians can practice. She repeated calls for a “Pan-Canada licensure system,” to make it easier for doctors to serve rural communities, including through virtual care.

Bunnell called for more federal funding for medical schools and training facilities to expand residency and mentorship capacity, as capacity constraints remain a significant barrier to doctors obtaining licensure.

“Delivering the right care in the right place at the right time will take more than simple addition. By planning the health workforce together at a national level, we could deliver more care in teams, the best way to take care of patients,” she said. “Now is the time to align immigration training, licensure and workforce planning into one coherent, sustainable system, one that serves both patients and providers.”