Canada Immigration and Visa
Dec 22, 2022
Canada Immigration is making major changes to the Canada Permanent Residence program to help address the shortage of physicians in the country. The changes are intended to make it easier for foreign-trained physicians to be granted permanent residence in Canada, enabling them to work and contribute to healthcare delivery in the country.
The current state of physician shortages in Canada
Physician shortages are a major problem in Canada. According to recent estimates, the country is short of 5,500 doctors and this number is expected to double by 2030. This shortage has become a pressing issue for Canada as it affects access to health care for many citizens. Unfortunately, some physicians have faced significant barriers when it comes to accessing permanent residence through Canada's flagship programs for skilled workers managed under the Express Entry system. This is because the “fee-for-service” model used in Canada for health care professionals puts them outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship. As a result, these physicians are often considered self-employed and unable to meet the eligibility criteria of the economic pathways for Canada Permanent Residence.
The new changes to the permanent residence program
In an effort to address the ongoing shortage of health care professionals in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently announced new changes to their permanent residence program for doctors. These changes will make it easier for physicians who are employed in a fee-for-service model with public health authorities to apply for and receive permanent residence status in Canada.
This exemption from current requirements recognizes the unique employment model used in Canada’s health care system, and will provide physicians with much needed access to Canada’s economic permanent residence programs. This move is expected to help attract more doctors to Canada and keep those already here and filling crucial vacancies in our health care sector, especially in rural areas where the need for physicians is greatest.
These changes are a step in the right direction in addressing doctor shortages and providing Canadians with more access to necessary health care services.
How these changes will impact physician shortages in Canada
The new changes to Canada's permanent residence program for health care professionals will make it easier for physicians to gain permanent residence in the country. With easier access to permanent residence, foreign doctors can more easily stay in Canada, reducing physician shortages and providing much needed support for hospitals and other medical facilities. This could also have a positive effect on wait times for medical services, and free up resources for more specialized care. Furthermore, this change in policy could attract more foreign doctors to Canada, which would help address the current and future doctor shortages. By allowing foreign doctors to stay and work in Canada, we can ensure that Canadians receive the best possible care and treatment.