Team SC
Toronto: Are you a Doctor? Is Canada your dream country to carry on your practice? Then this article is going to provide you with all the information related to permanent residence for physicians in Canada.
Initially, it was difficult for foreign-trained physicians to settle permanently in Canada. But now the scenario has changed a lot. Let us go through few quick fact checks to assure you about this paradigm shift in the process of acceptance of applications of permanent residence for physicians in Canada –
- In 2022 alone, the IRCC has accepted more than 8000 permanent residence applications from foreigners intending to work in the healthcare industry in Canada. This list of 8000 applicants includes physicians also.
- In 2021, IRCC approved work permits and extensions for more than 2000 foreign specialized physicians, 600 nurses, and 500 caregivers.
- In accordance with the time-limited Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Pathway, more than 4000 permanent residents had been admitted as of June 2022.
Aren’t these figures appealing enough to ensure the fact that Canada is going to be a highly favorable nation for physicians in the near future? Let us delve deep into some more information!
- Background
- Eligibility of Physicians for Permanent Residence in Canada
- Process of obtaining Permanent Residence for Physicians in Canada
- Visa Options for Permanent Residen#visace of Physicians in Canada
- Frequently Asked Questions
Permanent Residence for Physicians in Canada: Background
Most significantly, doctors who are currently employed in Canada frequently discover that they are ineligible for Express Entry because Canadian doctors frequently adopt a “fee-for-service” payment arrangement that differs from the usual employer-employee relationship. On paper, this implies that many doctors who are temporarily residents of Canada are regarded as self-employed.
On the other hand, Canada is witnessing a significant growth in the aging population. This calls for the requirement for more health workers and physicians in the nation. As a response to this situation, the Canadian government is making it simpler for foreign-trained physicians to settle permanently in Canada as provinces and territories work to recruit and keep more of them to help with shortages.
The IRCC is enhancing its immigration system to enable foreign nationals who are currently in Canada to remain and work here in order to help alleviate labor shortages. Employers around the nation need help filling hundreds of thousands of open positions, and immigration can help. To address critical labor shortages in the healthcare industry, it seeks collaborations with partners and stakeholders from the provincial and territory governments.
Eligibility of Physicians for Permanent Residence in Canada
Foreign-trained physicians must first obtain an accepted medical degree from an institution that is recognized on the World Directory of Medical Schools in order to practice medicine in Canada.
The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) must then verify the credentials of physicians with foreign training before issuing an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) report. Candidates must obtain the ECA report from PhysiciansApply.ca after their degree and transcripts have been confirmed.
A doctor can complete the tests and training necessary to get a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) if they are a permanent resident of Canada.
Each province and territory also has its own medical regulatory bodies with additional requirements, on top of this. As a result, choosing the province where you want to live is crucial.
Process of obtaining Permanent Residence for Physicians in Canada
There are a few prerequisites to meet in order to be eligible for a work visa in order to practice medicine in Canada. You must complete medical school, pass the medical test, and fulfil a number of additional conditions in order to be eligible for physician immigration to Canada and employment there. Step-by-step instructions on how to become a medical immigrant to Canada are provided below:
- Hire an immigration lawyer – People who want to live and work in Canada must meet a number of documentation criteria. You can choose the ideal route for Canadian immigration by organizing these documents and requirements with the aid of an immigration lawyer.
- Decide the province you wish to live in. The standards you must meet to work in Canada depend on the province you choose to relocate to.
- possess a valid medical degree from an institution that is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
- Apply for and meet the requirements for a Canadian Medical Council Licentiate.
- Complete a minimum of 12 months of clinical postgraduate medical training.
- Obtain a formal certificate.
- Apply for Immigration to Canada using any of the Visa options mentioned in the following part of this article.
Visa Options for Permanent Residence of Physicians in Canada
There are several options for physicians looking to immigrate to Canada because of the country’s present high demand for physicians. Here are a few of the most well-liked methods to do it:
Express Entry
The Express Entry programme for Canada is intended for talented workers who want to immigrate here. Your occupation must fall under skill level 0, A, or B for it to be accepted into this programme. Through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, which is administered by the Express Entry system, physicians may apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Provincial Nominee Program
If you are a skilled or semi-skilled worker and have a legitimate job offer that is needed in a certain province or territory, you are eligible to immigrate to Canada under this programme. Every province and territory has a unique PNP with lists of in-demand occupations designed to fulfill the specific requirements of its labor market. You will need to submit an Expression of Interest to move to the appropriate region for this.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot
The Provincial Nominee Program described above is comparable to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program. It is targeted at skilled persons who are aware of the province they would prefer to live in when they immigrate to Canada, presuming that province is one of the four provinces taking part in this immigration pilot.
With this programme, the four Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island sought to address the labor shortages. In Atlantic Canada, there is a significant need for all jobs in the medical and healthcare sectors. You can apply for permanent residency at the same time as you apply for your Canadian work permit if you have a full-time, legitimate job offer in one of the four provinces mentioned above.
By introducing legislative reforms in Bill C-19, the Canadian government hopes to expand on the success of Express Entry and better meet a variety of changing economic requirements and goals. Following modifications to our internal IT systems, the requirements will be fully implemented after taking effect on June 23 with Royal Assent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Can doctors from the UK work in Canada?
Ans: You must submit a work permit application to the Canadian High Commission before departing the UK. This can only be obtained if you have a temporary job offer that the government has approved.
The Canada Employment Centre must then confirm that no qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are currently available to fill the post.
You must also undergo a medical checkup by a licensed general practitioner. Contact the Canadian High Commission in London for further information regarding immigration procedures.
Q2. Can a newly qualified doctor immigrate to and practice in Canada?
Ans: IMGs is the term most healthcare organizations use to describe doctors who acquired their medical education abroad (international medical graduates).
This can include medical professionals with a variety of backgrounds:
– Have had a number of years of autonomous practice in his/her nation.
– He/she might have just graduated from medical school.
– May be finished a residency training course.
– He/she may not have needed a residency and instead entered practice right away.
– It may originate from a nation with a medical education system akin to Canada’s.
– They may come from a nation with a totally different medical education system than Canada’s.
An IMG is a person who has graduated from a medical school that is not recognised in Canada or the United States, according to the Medical Council of Canada (by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools or by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in the U.S.A). IMGs are individuals who have graduated from an American Osteopathic Association-accredited school of osteopathic medicine in the United States.
Q3. What is Provincial or territorial registration and licensure for doctors in Canada?
Ans: The regulation of medical practice in each province or territory particular jurisdiction falls under their unique purview. The most recent licencing guidelines and information can be found at:
– Get in touch with the province’s or territory’s medical regulatory body before beginning your practice there.
– If there is an international medical graduate programme in the province where you want to practice, get in touch with it.
The LMCC (Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada) and credentials from the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada are recognised in all provinces and territories. Other qualifications for licensure are also accepted on an individual basis by the provinces and territories.
Q4. What language test do a doctor give to immigrate to Canada for practice?
Ans: IMGs must show documentation of their language skills. This can entail taking the TSE and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) (Test of Spoken English). This entails sitting for the Office Québécois de la langue française French exam in Québec.
What Medical Knowledge test is compulsory for physicians to immigrate to Canada?
In addition to having a recognised medical degree, you must pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) to prove that your medical knowledge is equivalent.
For more Express Entry Immigration news, please visit our Express Entry section
