Canada's Requirement for Increased Immigration of Doctors to help the National Healthcare System

Population Boom and Medical Residency Shortage

Amidst a population surge of over five million people in the last decade, Canada has only added 167 medical residencies, exacerbating the difficulty many Canadians face in obtaining regular access to a family doctor. More than 6.5 million Canadians currently lack such access.

Barriers for International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

Despite immigrants constituting a significant portion of healthcare workers in Canada, IMGs encounter obstacles in securing medical residencies due to quotas and preferences for graduates from domestic medical schools. This impedes Canada's ability to meet its healthcare needs.

Investment in Foreign Credential Recognition

The Canadian government is investing up to $86 million in recognizing foreign credentials for approximately 6600 internationally educated health professionals. This initiative aims to ensure that skilled immigrants receive proper recognition for their qualifications.

Other Reasons for Doctor Shortage

Factors contributing to the scarcity of family doctors include declining interest in family medicine among Canadian medical graduates and minimal growth in medical residencies. This creates a significant gap between the demand for healthcare professionals and the available supply.

Steps to Address the Shortage

At the federal level, Canada is prioritizing healthcare professionals in its category-based Express Entry draws, introduced to attract foreign nationals with experience in key employment sectors. Provincially, efforts are underway to expand medical training capacity, with commitments to add more postgraduate medical training spaces and establish new medical schools.

In summary, addressing Canada's shortage of family doctors necessitates a comprehensive approach involving increasing immigration of healthcare professionals, recognizing foreign credentials, and expanding domestic medical training capacity.