The Canadian government has announced that it will open a new express entry pathway for foreign doctors in 2026.
The announcement was made in a statement by the Canada
immigration, refugees and citizenship office.
Under the new measures, Canada will introduce a dedicated
express entry category for international doctors who have accumulated at least
one year of eligible Canadian work experience within the last three years.
The category targets physicians currently in Canada on a
temporary basis and contributing to patient care.
Invitations to apply under the new stream are expected to be
issued in early 2026.
Announcing the initiative, Lena Metlege Diab, minister of
immigration, refugees and citizenship, said the move would help ensure
Canadians have better access to healthcare.
“Canada’s new government has a mandate to build a strong
economy by attracting top global talent and filling critical labour shortages,”
Diab said.
“This dedicated Express Entry category, along with the
reserved federal admission spaces for provinces and territories will help bring
in and keep practice-ready doctors, so people across Canada can get the care
they need.”
In addition, the Canadian government will set aside 5,000
admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate licensed doctors who
have job offers.
These spaces will be added to existing Provincial Nominee
Programme allocations.
Doctors nominated through this route will benefit from
expedited 14-day work permit processing, allowing them to begin work while
their permanent residence applications are being processed.
Maggie Chi, parliamentary secretary to the minister of
health, noted that increasing the number of qualified physicians is critical to
improving health outcomes nationwide.
“Attracting skilled health professionals is essential to
addressing Canada’s health workforce shortages,” she said.
“Increasing the number of qualified physicians with the
expertise our health care system needs will ensure people across the country
receive timely, high-quality care.”
She added that collaboration with subnational governments is
key to addressing systemic gaps.
“By working closely with provinces and territories, we are
tackling workforce challenges and strengthening the health care system so
Canadians receive the care they need, when they need it,” she said.
Welcoming the announcement, Margot Burnell, president of the
Canadian Medical Association, described the policy shift as beneficial for both
patients and the health workforce.
“By creating a pathway to permanent residence for doctors
here on temporary visas, we create a stronger health workforce, staffing gaps
begin to close, and patient care benefits from diverse voices and experiences,”
Burnell said.
“Today’s announcement is a step in the right direction.”
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