On September 4, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the third occupation-specific Express Entry draw of the year for candidates working in healthcare and social services occupations. In round #441, IRCC issued 3,500 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the cut-off score was 475 points (the same as it was in the last draw for this category). The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 26, 2026, at 00:26:14 UTC. As of August 30, 2026, 226,673 profiles wer

The Ontario Government is funding specialized training projects through its Skills Development Fund to help internationally trained healthcare professionals restart their careers. Through an investment exceeding $10.9 million across ten sector projects, organizations such as the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario and ACCES will receive targeted funding. These programs will support internationally educated nurses, doctors, and pharmacists with localized healthcare train

The Government of Yukon has issued a General Declaration of Need to streamline licensing for internationally trained family physicians. Under the new Limited A pathway, qualified doctors from the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia can receive a licence from the Yukon Medical Council without undergoing additional practice assessments or supervision. Issued under the Medical Profession Act, this initiative reduces administrative barriers for foreign-trained p

On July 23, 2026, the Government of British Columbia held an invitation round under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). The province issued 60 invitations to apply to candidates through the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative. The invited candidates had a minimum score of 50 points. This targeted stream supports health authority employees in eligible cleaning and security roles who work in rural or remote communities across the province. So f

On July 16, 2026, the Government of British Columbia conducted new draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Programs (BCPNP). The province issued invitations to apply to 569 skilled candidates with the potential to create a high economic impact in the province. The selection criteria targeted two distinct groups: 223 candidates in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 positions earning a minimum wage of $58 per hour and $115,000 per year while working full-time with their support

British Columbia expanded access to the 2025 B.C. Newcomers' Guide by releasing it in six languages. Newcomers arriving in British Columbia can now get important settlement details more easily. Starting in June 2026, the resource is available in French, Simplified Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, Arabic, and Tagalog, alongside English. People can download the PDF online or order print copies through the WelcomeBC website. The guide provides essential information on housing, health

On June 25, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the second occupation-specific Express Entry draw of the year for candidates working in healthcare and social services occupations. In round #422, IRCC issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the cut-off score was 475 points (8 points more than the last draw for this category). The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 21, 2026, at 12:14:09 UTC. As of June 21, 2026, 239,645 profiles were regist

On June 18, 2026, the Government of British Columbia conducted new draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Programs (BCPNP). The province issued invitations to apply to 279 skilled candidates with the potential to create a high economic impact in the province. The selection criteria targeted two distinct groups: 130 candidates in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 positions earning a minimum wage of $62 per hour and $125,000 per year while working full-time with their support

A new study by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship reveals that many skilled immigrants cannot find work in their fields. The report notes that about 640,000 immigrants are currently overqualified for their job positions. During an Ottawa press conference, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Bernhard criticized Canada for creating major barriers to credential recognition. He explained that the country successfully attracts top global talent but fails to utilize their skills. Be

British Columbia launched major updates to its immigrant selection process. On May 28, 2026, the province released a brand-new guide for its Skills Immigration program, containing big changes that affect how workers move to the region. Crucially, the update introduces a special health worker plan to support rural and remote towns. Healthcare professionals can sign up for this one-time opportunity starting June 15, 2026. The government also simplified its main application guid

On May 14, 2026, the Government of British Columbia conducted new draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Programs (BCPNP) priorities and issued invitations to skilled candidates with work experience in healthcare, childcare, and high economic impact occupations. The province issued a total of 640 invitations, including 117 healthcare professionals, 86 early childhood educators (ECE), and 437 High Economic Impact invitations. The minimum scores for these draws wer

The Manitoba Government is expanding its investment in bilingual health care by adding 30 new seats to the Bachelor of Nursing program at the Université de Saint-Boniface (USB). This expansion brings the total capacity to 75 seats, specifically aimed at training French-speaking nurses to serve francophone and bilingual communities throughout the province. With an investment of nearly $220,000 over four years, the initiative addresses a sharp rise in applications at USB, which

The Government of New Brunswick is increasing the capacity of the Practice Ready Assessment New Brunswick (PRANB) program from 10 to 14 spaces to expedite the licensing of internationally trained doctors. This initiative, a collaboration between the Department of Health and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick, allows qualified physicians to undergo a 12-week clinical field assessment to ensure they meet provincial standards for safe patient care. Successfu

The Government of Yukon and the Yukon Medical Council have introduced a new dual pathway licensing process to simplify the entry of US-trained physicians into the territory's healthcare system. Developed in collaboration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, this initiative allows American Board-certified doctors to use a single set of credentials to apply for licensure in both jurisdictions simultaneously. By leveraging BC’s approved registrations,

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has overhauled its selection criteria to align with the province’s "Look West" strategy, focusing on three pillars: Care, Build, and Innovate. Effective immediately, the program will prioritize 36 healthcare and education roles, 9 skilled trades for infrastructure projects, and high-impact talent across all sectors. The Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream has officially closed, and no new international student st

On April 9, 2026, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated the processing times for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under various streams. Based on statistics from all processing centres, the average LMIA processing time has decreased for all streams except the Agricultural and Low-wage streams, which had a very slight increase. Global Talent Stream - 7 business days (-5 days) Agricultural stream – 16 business days (+1 day) Seasonal Agr

Manitoba's 2026 budget focuses on strengthening healthcare across rural and northern regions through targeted workforce investments . The province is allocating $6.3 million for physician recruitment while creating new training pathways for internationally trained doctors, nurses, and paramedics. Major capital projects include emergency room construction at E.M. Crowe Hospital in Eriksdale and healthcare facility expansions in Portage la Prairie, Neepawa, Brandon, Winkler/Mor

Manitoba has introduced a faster registration process for internationally trained pharmacists, including those from the United States. The new pathway reduces the licensing timeline from roughly four and a half years to about 75 days. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the change will improve access to pharmacy services across the province, particularly in rural areas. Last year, 51 U.S.-trained pharmacists received their Manitoba licenses. Applicants from the U.S., Austral

Recent data from Statistics Canada shows a notable increase in the number of international students who remain in Canada after completing health degree programs. The 2019 cohort saw 68% of international health graduates filing tax returns three years after graduation, up from 52% in 2010. This surpasses the average retention rate for all international graduates. However, retention varies significantly by field and province. Pharmacy graduates had the highest retention at 64%

Canada's healthcare crisis is hitting a critical point , with new data revealing that 50% of Canadians either lack a family doctor or face significant barriers accessing one, up from 40% a decade ago. This deteriorating situation poses particular challenges for immigrants and newcomers, who already navigate complex settlement processes and now encounter a strained medical system ill-equipped to meet growing demand. Despite healthcare spending nearly doubling to $399 billion s