Canada Needs More Doctors Than Ever Before In 2018

In the Canadian province of British Columbia, about 700,000 people don’t have a family doctor.

Training more doctors won’t alleviate the immediate problem. The prime reason for the doctor shortage in Canada is because most people considering a career in medicine choose to become specialists or hospitalists (general practitioners who work exclusively in hospitals, taking patients from emergency departments, taking medical histories and checking medications).The only short-term solution is to recruit more foreign-trained doctors.

New Canadian Immigration Stream For Doctors

The provinces of Nova Scotia and British Columbia have started a new immigration stream for doctors to migrate to Canada within 5-10 days. There are currently 75 vacancies for family doctors in Nova Scotia.

However, Nova Scotia currently accepts physicians from 29 jurisdictions, including the UK and USA. “It cuts red tape and paperwork.” Immigration Minister, Lena Diab said.

Doctors who want to work in Canada must still have a valid job offer in place, i.e a written approved opportunity with the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) or the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre as a:

  • General practitioner and family physician (under NOC 3112); OR
  • Specialist physician (under NOC 3111)

The candidate must also go through the licensing process with the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada.

The Health Authority aims to recruit a modest 12 international doctors annually, but Dr. Lynne Harrigan, vice-president of medicine with the Health Authority said that they need to hire 110 physicians a year to keep up with the status quo.

How to Apply for the New Canadian Immigration Stream for Doctors?

Candidates must first apply to the Nova Scotia immigration department for a provincial nomination before they apply for permanent residence through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Are you a potential candidate for this post? Canadianvisa.org can assist you on your Canadian journey.