Due to recent events in the U.S., as well as policy reforms, many healthcare professionals are seriously considering moving to Canada. Among them are doctors from certain specialties in the U.S., particularly gynecologists, pathologists, intensive care specialists, and family medicine practitioners, who have started showing interest in relocating to Canada. This shift is largely due to changes in the U.S. political landscape, especially the tightening of laws concerning women’s health and reproductive rights.
Where does the puzzle fit, and why do doctors want to leave a country where their salaries are twice as high as in Canada?
Laws related to reproductive health are becoming stricter in the U.S. For example, doctors can face criminal charges for prescribing abortion medication (as in the recent case of a doctor in New York).
Some states have introduced severe penalties—in Texas, doctors can face 99 years in prison for performing an “illegal” abortion.
Concerns over possible restrictions on contraceptives and access to women’s healthcare services.
Some doctors are worried about the increasing polarization in medicine, the rise of misinformation, and pressure on medical professionals in the U.S.
In Canada, doctors are attracted by the universal healthcare system (where medical care is provided to everyone regardless of status, employment, or financial situation), strict gun control laws, and higher life expectancy.
From an immigration perspective, American doctors have significant and, I would even say, undeniable advantages:
· The process for American doctors is simplified: in Ontario and Nova Scotia, certified doctors from the U.S. do not need to take additional exams or undergo lengthy licensing procedures.
· Many provinces actively advertise job openings for specialists from the U.S., considering the doctor shortage in Canada.
· The immigration process can be completed quickly, right at the border, without the need to prove that no local Canadian specialists are available for the position.
And as always, I want to remind you that history moves in cycles and tends to repeat itself with slight variations. Interestingly, the immigration of American doctors to Canada is not a new phenomenon. Similar trends have occurred in the past.
· During the Vietnam War, many Americans who disagreed with U.S. policies moved to Canada.
· In 2016, after Donald Trump’s election, there was a surge in inquiries from Americans, including medical professionals, about immigration to Canada.
· Now, after his re-election, medical professionals are once again actively seeking relocation opportunities.
Due to the political situation in the U.S., more doctors are considering Canada as a place to work and live.
Canada is making the immigration process as easy as possible for them, which could lead to an increase in the number of migrating specialists. This is beneficial for Canada, as it will help ease the burden on its overwhelmed healthcare system. However, on the other hand, it may create challenges for foreign-trained doctors from other countries who want to practice in Canada.
Oleksandra Melnykova, Immigration and Refugee Consultant in Canada.
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