How Foreign-trained Doctors Can Now Secure Permanent Residence in Canada

Canada has unveiled new immigration pathways offering permanent residency to foreign-trained medical doctors, opening up fresh opportunities for international physicians seeking to settle in North America.

The new measures reserve up to 5,000 federal immigration slots specifically for doctors under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). In a move designed to address severe healthcare staffing shortages across its provinces, Canada has also created a dedicated Express Entry category for doctors who have accrued at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience in the last three years.

Physicians who secure a nomination from a Canadian province or territory will benefit from expedited work permit processing, capped at 14 days. This allows medical practitioners to begin working in local communities while immigration officials process their permanent residence paperwork.

Internationally trained practitioners who have not yet worked in Canada can still apply for permanent residency. However, they must secure a valid job offer or letter of support from a province or territory under local nominee programmes. Alternative options include the Atlantic Immigration Program, which requires a job offer from an employer in Atlantic Canada, alongside the Rural Community and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots.

Canadian authorities clarified that immigration clearance does not grant an automatic right to practice. Regardless of the entry route chosen, all foreign doctors must undergo formal credential evaluations and obtain a licence from the relevant provincial or territorial medical regulatory board before treating patients.