The data highlights the significant role of immigrants in Canada’s healthcare sector, with a quarter of healthcare workers being immigrants.
The data highlights the significant role of immigrants in Canada’s healthcare sector, with a quarter of healthcare workers being immigrants.
More than half of internationally educated healthcare professionals (58 percent) in Canada, including nurses, physicians, pharmacists and dentists, are currently working in their respective fields, according to a recent report from Statistics Canada.
Out of the total of 259,694 IEHPs in Canada, 76 percent are employed. However, this employment rate is slightly lower than the 80 percent rate for their Canadian-educated counterparts. It’s important to note that these figures encompass IEHPs working in both healthcare and non-healthcare occupations.
The data also highlights the significant role of immigrants in Canada’s healthcare sector, with one-quarter of healthcare workers being immigrants. This proportion is expected to rise as approximately 500,000 healthcare workers, primarily aged 55 and older, are set to retire in the next decade.
Statistics Canada’s research also reveals that a substantial portion of IEHPs arrived in Canada during their core working years, with half migrating between the ages of 25 and 34. Moreover, nearly one-third of all IEHPs arrived in Canada between 2016 and 2021. Among IEHPs in Canada, two-thirds are under the age of 50, and women constitute 70 percent of this group.
Geographically, Ontario has the highest concentration of IEHPs, with 116,310 individuals, followed by British Columbia (45,235) and Alberta (42,035). Conversely, Canada’s northern territories and the Atlantic provinces have the lowest numbers of IEHPs.
The report further highlights that 63 percent of IEHPs received their education in Asia, while 11 percent studied in English-speaking Western countries. Notably, Manitoba has the highest percentage of IEHPs educated in Asia (75 percent).
Breaking down healthcare occupations among IEHPs in Canada, one-third of them studied nursing. The top five healthcare occupations for IEHPs include registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (34 percent), nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates (21 percent), licensed practical nurses (eight percent), light duty cleaners (two percent) and social and community service workers (two percent). Prince Edward Island has over half of its IEHPs with nursing backgrounds.
Physicians trained as IEHPs make up 15 percent of all IEHPs in Canada, with the majority residing in Newfoundland and Labrador. This province also reports the highest employment rate for IEHPs in healthcare occupations, at 74 percent.
Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan also have high employment rates for IEHPs in healthcare, exceeding 65 percent. However, in the rest of Canada, just 46 percent of IEHPs find employment in healthcare roles.
Considering the substantial number of IEHPs in Canada, these newcomers have the potential to alleviate labor shortages in the healthcare sector. In June of this year, Statistics Canada reported 147,100 job openings.
One of the primary challenges facing IEHPs is the complexity of obtaining licensure in regulated professions in Canada, with each province imposing distinct requirements.
Some provinces are taking steps to remove these obstacles, such as Nova Scotia fast-tracking licensing for select international nurses and Ontario simplifying registration with reduced work experience requirements.
Additionally, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada have introduced six Express Entry categories emphasizing occupation over Comprehensive Ranking System scores, with 2,000 healthcare professionals receiving Invitations to Apply in 2023. In October 2022, IRCC allowed temporary resident physicians to apply for Express Entry, a significant change from their previous self-employment status.
