How To Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor
How to Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor: As a Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant, I often receive inquiries from foreign-born physicians looking to immigrate to Canada. The process of immigrating to Canada as a physician can be complex, but with careful planning and preparation, it is possible to successfully navigate the process and establish a successful career in Canada.
Are you currently working and have experience as a Physician and are interested in immigrating to Canada? Now, perhaps more than ever, Canada is in need of more doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. Canada considers Physicians as highly-skilled workers which qualify individuals for many Canadian programs like Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs.
If you have ever wondered what it’s like to work in Canada as a Doctor, this is your opportunity to find out in great detail. In this presentation, we will give purposeful tips for physicians/ doctors who want to immigrate to Canada.
A physician is a medical doctor, who has completed graduate training to provide health care. Physicians diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. They often consult patients on multiple aspects such as hygiene, diet, and preventive healthcare.
The Benefits of immigrating to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor.
Decent salaries
Doctors in Canada are very well paid. While the salary level of a doctor will vary based on experience and specialization, on average a doctor can expect an annual salary of approximately $206,195. Salaries are also typically much higher in remote locations and can fall around the $450,000 to $500,000 range. Generally, family doctors in Canada can earn between $211,000 and $281,000 per year, depending on the province they are located. The average salary for medical specialists in Canada is $360,000 per year and 481,000 per year for surgical specialists.
Great health insurance package
As a doctor in Canada, you will be entitled to a number of health insurance benefits such as:
- full family benefits including health and dental plan
- extended health care such as prescription drugs, vision care, dental
- semi-private hospitalization
- life insurance
- Paid holidays
You can receive up to four weeks of paid leave each year as well as sick days and other kinds of leave, like maternity and parental leave, bereavement leave, or personal leave.
How can you immigrate to Canada with a work permit as a Physician?
Physicians are considered to be high-skilled workers; therefore, their occupation falls under the NOC 3112 category – General Practitioners and Family Physicians.
To immigrate and work in Canada as a Physician there are several requirements in order to qualify for a work permit. Basically, in order to qualify for immigration to Canada as a Physician and work in Canada as a physician you would need to graduate from a medical school, pass the medical exam, and pass several other requirements.
Summary of the primary steps needed to immigrate to Canada as a Physician.
- Find out which province you want to reside in. The province you want to move to will determine the requirements you must meet in order to work in Canada.
- Have an approved medical degree from a university listed in the World Directory of Medical School.
- Apply and qualify for a “Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada”.
- Complete at least 12 months of post-graduate clinical medical training.
- Receive an official certification.
Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor: Working as a Physician in Canada.
While nothing is guaranteed, as far as Canada continues to need more doctors, if you are good at what you do, you will find a job in Canada as a Doctor.
Requirements for Physicians in Canada
- Recognized Medical Qualification.
It is most likely that you already have or are about to have medical education. However, to plan your immigration to Canada you need to make sure your education will be recognized there. To check whether your education will be accepted in Canada, you need to go to the World Directory of Medical Schools website and try to identify your university there. If you can find your university – then you’re set to proceed.
- Approval from the Medical Council of Canada
The thing you need to obtain to work as a Physician in Canada is a qualification called the “Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada”. The requirements for this qualification are:
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- Pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination.
- Complete at least 12 months of postgraduate training.
The examinations have two parts: the first part you may take at home, while you need to be in Canada for the second. After passing the examinations, you will need to obtain approval from the Medical Regulatory Authorities in the province or territory where you want to live and work.
- Other Requirements
Proof of Language Skills
In most cases, doctors who are immigrating to Canada at some point need to prove that their language skills are good enough. Normally, any of these approved language proficiency tests would be required:
-
- IELTS, CELPIP for English
- TEF, TCF for French
Work Experience
At some point in immigration to Canada, Physicians need to prove their work experience. Prospective Physicians need to prepare the following information:
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- Letter of employment from the previous employer;
- NOCtitle;
- Work responsibilities;
- Hours worked;
- Current salary;
- Contact details of the employer.
Note: This would be presented in a Canadian format resume.
Fees
The budget Physician needs to prepare for immigration may vary. It depends on each individual case.
However, to give you an idea of what to expect, we have gathered some of the most universal expenses:
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- Application fee for MCCEE – CAD$2,365;
- Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations – CAD$5000;
- Degree verification – CAD$215;
- Translation fee – CAD$181 per page;
- ECA report – CAD$137.
Canada Immigration programs for foreign-born Physicians immigrating to Canada.
Since Physicians are currently in high demand in Canada, there are many ways to immigrate to Canada as a Physician. One of the most common pathways for physicians to immigrate to Canada is through the Express Entry system, a program that is designed for individuals who have the education, skills, and work experience needed to contribute to the Canadian economy.
Express Entry is designed for skilled workers and is a great option for immigration to Canada for doctors. The program manages all the applications from the main economic programs. To be eligible for this program, your occupation will need to be grouped in skill level 0, A, or B. Physicians are eligible to apply for permanent residency in Canada through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, managed by the Express Entry system
When you complete your application, your profile is allocated scores based on factors like education, work experience, age, etc. The highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for permanent residency.
The programs under Express entry are as follows:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is part of the Express Entry system which is a popular immigration option because it fast-tracks the visa application process and can process applications, under normal conditions, in as little as six months.This program is designed for individuals who have the education, skills, and work experience needed to contribute to the Canadian economy.
Who can apply through the Federal Skilled Worker Program?
Let’s look at the requirements you need to meet in order to apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
You must have skilled work experience in one of the following positions:
- Managerial
- Professional
- Trade/technical occupation.
- Meet the pass mark on a points-based assessment.
Your occupation must be listed in the National Occupation Classification (NOC).
If your application is successful, you will be able to obtain permanent resident status in Canada, which will allow you to live and work in the country.
Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor through Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
This is a great program if you have is a specific province you wish to settle in. It is also one of the quickest and most efficient ways of coming into Canada.
The Provincial Nominee Program was designed to fill labour shortages in the provinces and targets skilled individuals who will be able to contribute towards the province’s economic growth. Each province or territory has its own PNP with in-demand occupation lists intended to meet the individual needs of its labour market. This will require that you do your research before you send an “Expression of Interest” to relocate to the respective province.
Some provinces also offer work permit support letters to nominees that allow them to apply for work authorization in lieu of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This removes an additional step for the employer in the process of bringing foreign Physicians to Canada.
Candidates that are eligible under an Express Entry program could receive an additional 600 points toward their CRS score upon being nominated, allowing them to become Canadian permanent residents faster.
Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor: Know the Canadian Provinces that need Physicians.
Aside from knowing how to immigrate to Canada as a Physician, another important thing to know is where in Canada Physicians are most in demand.
Physicians are most in demand in the following provinces in Canada:
Nova Scotia.
There is a growing demand for Physicians in Nova Scotia, especially family doctors, who are also known as general practitioners.
Reports show that a high number of people living in Nova Scotia are waiting for doctors. A number of doctors in Canada are retiring and it often takes a long time for their position to be filled by a new doctor. The government also warns about personnel (staff) shortages in Nova Scotia’s healthcare system.
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Family physicians are also needed in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the province has been facing shortages, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Brunswick.
New Brunswick is also struggling to find family doctors due to doctors retiring. People of New Brunswick are often faced with long waiting lists when they go to emergency and walk-in clinics.
Prince Edward Island.
Family doctors are also needed here. Specialist physicians, particularly, infectious disease specialists, are needed in Prince Edward Island.
British Columbia.
BC is another province facing a shortage of doctors doing community-based family medicine. This is mainly due to the fact that doctors are retiring and new family physicians are not replacing them.
Saskatchewan.
Up to 52 percent of all Saskatchewan’s doctors are foreign medical graduates and the need for doctors is still on the rise. So, you can be assured that there is plenty of opportunity for foreign-trained Physicians.
Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP).
Finally, you may be able to immigrate to Canada through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP), which is a program designed to help employers in the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) hire foreign workers and international graduates who want to become permanent residents.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program is similar to the Provincial Nominee Program described above. It is aimed at skilled individuals who know which province they would like to settle in when they arrive in Canada and assume that the province is one of the four participating provinces in this immigration pilot.
This program was aimed to address the labour shortages in the four Atlantic provinces; Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. All occupations in the medical healthcare fields are in high demand in Atlantic Canada. If you have a full-time valid job offer in one of the four provinces listed above, you can apply for permanent residency at the same time as you apply for your Canadian work permit.
Who can apply for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot?
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is divided into three programs, namely:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program.
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program.
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program.
As a qualified doctor, you would need to apply for the Atlantic High-Skilled Program.
In order to apply through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, you will need to meet a number of requirements, which include the following:
You must have at least one year of experience working in one of the following positions:
- management
- professional or
- skilled job
You will also need to:
- Have a foreign degree or diploma equal to a Canadian credential, for which you will need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
- Take an approved language proficiency test in English or French to live and work in Canada.
- Have proof of funds that meets the minimum required amount to support yourself as well as any dependents regardless of whether they are joining you in Canada or not.
Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
For any Doctor already living and working in Canada, the CEC is the perfect program. Eligibility
The CEC requires one year of skilled work experience within the last three years. The work experience must have been completed in Canada. People applying with work experience at a NOC 0 or A skill level must have at least a CLB 7.
The program does not require a person to have a job offer, but having one may increase your likelihood to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
Canada Immigration for Physicians from Other English-Speaking Countries.
Language can be a huge barrier to how easily you assimilate and find success in your career. It is therefore no surprise that candidates from other English-speaking countries often choose to immigrate to Canada. The requirements to be a doctor in Canada are comparable to the highly developed countries like the US, UK, or Australia.
Are you a doctor immigrating to Canada from the US?
Canada and the US are closely linked economically, geographically, and socially, and people are always moving between the two countries for work, travel, and family reunification seamlessly. It is especially easy for a doctor in the US to immigrate to Canada since their credentials are recognized by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).
Most US doctors will have to go through a short period of supervision, and, or complete the Medical Council of Canada exams to get a full license and practice in Canada. According to data gathered from the Canadian Medical Association, the number of doctors from the US who are immigrating to Canada has been steadily rising since the early 2000s.
Are you a doctor immigrating to Canada from the United Kingdom?
Physicians emigrating from the UK to Canada do so in search of a better work-life balance and to enjoy a better quality of life and higher salary.
Every year hundreds of doctors from the UK apply for Canadian immigration. UK credentials are also recognized in Canada making it much easier to become fully licensed.
Are you a doctor immigrating to Canada from Australia?
Australian medical schools are recognized as world-class institutions and share many similarities with Canada’s educational and healthcare system. As such, it is quite easy for a doctor from Australia to immigrate to Canada. Like US and UK residents, candidates from Australia also need to write and pass an exam and go through a supervised period before becoming fully licenced to practice in Canada.
How to Find a Job in Canada as a Doctor.
With the current trends in technology, it has become very easy to search for jobs, from within Canada or from anywhere in the world.
While LinkedIn remains a popular option for building connections and applying for jobs, other job boards recommended specifically for medical professionals include:
Other job boards such as Monster or Workopolis have categories dedicated to the healthcare field as well. To give yourself an edge over the competition, you should be well-prepared for every job interview you are called for.
Note: It is extremely important that your resume and cover letter match the Canadian resume formats; and have your credentials, references, and certificates available.
How to find help if you want to Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor
Overall, the process of immigrating to Canada as a physician can be complex, but with careful planning and preparation, it is possible to successfully navigate the process and establish a successful career in Canada. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, I encourage you to reach out to Chugo Immigration Services. As an RCIC, we can help you figure out the best program and pathway so you can come to Canada as quickly as possible.
What’s next?
Now that you know more about how to immigrate to Canada as a Physician, you can start planning your next steps.
Canada needs more doctors and you could be one of them!
If you meet the eligibility requirements and are interested in applying to How to Immigrate to Canada with A Work Permit as A Physician-Doctor, Contact Chugo Immigration Services at 1 403 836 1861 (WhatsApp) or book a consultation for more information on how to apply and to find out if you are eligible.
What are your other options for Canadian Immigration?
Let us help you to navigate any of the following pathways to Canadian Immigration:
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Humanitarian and Compassionate
- Study to Immigrate
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
- How to Become a Canadian Citizen: Applying for Canadian Citizenship
- Family Sponsorship
- Spousal Sponsorship
- Express Entry
- Federal Skilled Workers Program
- Caregivers
- Canada Business Immigration Programs
- Refugee and Asylum
- Visa rejections and Appeals
Chugo Immigration Service is authorized to offer Canadian Immigration and Citizenship services under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The Principal Consultant, Pius Chukwuma Ekwulugo RCIC, is a member in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and has helped many foreigners to start a new life in Canada. We will help you too!