The Canadian government plans to grant permanent residency to foreign doctors currently working in the country as temporary residents to address the nationwide shortage of medical professionals. Immigration Minister Lena Diab unveiled this new initiative in Toronto, announcing the allocation of 5,000 additional spots for international doctors beyond the existing immigration quotas.
Diab emphasized the importance of retaining these doctors who are already providing essential care within communities. The initiative, set to launch in 2026, will introduce a specialized express entry category for foreign doctors who have at least one year of recent Canadian work experience and hold a current job offer.
The program targets various medical specialties, including primary care, surgery, clinical, and laboratory medicine practitioners. The government aims to streamline the pathway to permanent residency for these physicians, addressing critical healthcare workforce gaps and ensuring a stable healthcare system for Canadians.
Provinces and territories will have the authority to nominate licensed doctors with job offers to the express entry stream, in addition to their existing provincial nominee allocations. Successful nominees will benefit from expedited processing of their work permits within 14 days, enabling them to work while their permanent residency status is being finalized.
These measures aim to enhance healthcare access for the significant percentages of adults and children without regular healthcare providers. The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) expressed support for the government’s decision, highlighting the need to better utilize the vast pool of internationally trained physicians in the country and attract more global medical talent to address ongoing healthcare needs.
