Quebec will not relax measures to recruit doctors from the U.S.
Posted April 18, 2025 12:11 pm.
Doctors and scientists are eyeing Canada as a place to work because of the current American situation. In the United States, health programmes have been cut and mass redundancies are taking place in the health sector. Several provinces are putting measures in place to speed up the recruitment of American doctors, but not Quebec.
In an e-mail to The Canadian Press, the Immigration Department confirmed that it currently has no plans to encourage American doctors to settle in Quebec.
Santé Québec has also indicated in writing that no additional measures are currently planned by the agency to facilitate the recruitment of American doctors. It points out that doctors who have completed their training in the United States have access to the regular permit issued by the Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ) and that they must immigrate to Canada like any other person from abroad.
International medical graduates who wish to practise in Quebec must have the equivalence of their medical diploma obtained in their own country recognised by the CMQ. It is also possible to obtain a restrictive permit to practise in Quebec.
The Collège des médecins said it had noted “a slight increase in the number of American doctors applying for a permit to practice in Quebec, as well as doctors who have a permit to practice in Quebec, who have left the province in the past to practice in the United States and who want to come back.” They point out that some doctors have mentioned their desire to obtain a licence in Quebec specifically because of the Trump administration, but he has “nothing formal” on the reasons that might motivate Americans to come and practise in Quebec.
The time it takes for a US doctor to obtain recognition of equivalence of their medical degree by the CMQ varies, and depends mainly on how quickly the applicant submits all the required documents. “For a family doctor who has graduated, trained and been certified in the United States, it may take a few weeks,” states the Collège des médecins in writing. However, some cases may take months if the file has to be presented to the admission to practice committee.
For other medical specialties, it depends on whether the candidate is eligible to have his or her specialty examined by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and if so, when the examination takes place, explains the CMQ. The examinations are offered once a year.
Provinces get on board
Unlike Quebec, other Canadian provinces have decided to facilitate the recruitment process – Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.
In Ontario, the government is considering additional, specific measures to make it easier for healthcare professionals to work in the province, including consultations on the possibility of allowing doctors and nurses registered in the United States to work in Ontario as of right. The government also wants automatic recognition of the credentials of doctors and nurses from other provinces and territories.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has joined the movement launched by Ontario. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the CFIB called on the provinces to speed up the reduction of interprovincial barriers and adopt mutual recognition.
“In times of crisis, such as the one we are currently experiencing with the United States, we need to be open to changes in approach. Our neighbouring provinces are very active. Quebec can’t just sit back and watch others do things. We are asking Quebec Premier François Legault to commit to introducing legislation this year to accelerate interprovincial trade and adopt mutual recognition,” said François Vincent, CFIB’s vice-president for Quebec, in a press release.
In Saskatchewan, the government launched a recruitment campaign in the United States on April 9 to attract doctors to the province. “We are committed to ensuring that Saskatchewan’s doctors are well compensated for their hard work, that they thrive professionally and that they have a positive work-life balance, all with a lower cost of living,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said in a press release.
In Manitoba, too, efforts are being made to attract American workers. Uzoma Asagwara, Manitoba’s Minister of Health, recently announced that the province was in discussions with American doctors. The province has one of the lowest numbers of doctors per capita in the country.
Doctors Manitoba, which represents more than 4,000 doctors and medical students in the province, had already launched a recruitment campaign in the United States shortly after the election, running ads in several states and creating a website to provide information to interested doctors.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
