The shortage of healthcare workers in Canada has made the federal government announce a new Express Entry scheme in the economic immigration program. Canadian Visa Expert could confirm that the new immigration scheme will recruit more in-demand health professionals to the country.
As it stands, many households in Canada do not have family doctors. According to research by Angus Reid, an estimated six million Canadians are without family doctors.
It is a dire situation with the shortage of general health practitioners and specialists.
Canadian Visa Expert references federal data where it was quoted that Canada could be short of 44,000 doctors by 2028 if the healthcare shortage persists at this rate.
How the government wants to curb the shortage of health professionals
The former Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced at an event in Bedford, Nova Scotia, that a new dedicated Express Entry stream would be opened to foreign healthcare workers.
Canadian Visa Expert could confirm that about 500 foreign health workers would be initially invited to apply for permanent residency. Then, another 1,500 workers will get an invitation.
The program is expected to receive a great response from foreign health workers.
The invitations are meant for foreign health professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists, and optometrists.
In the words of Sean Fraser:
“The federal government is committed to maintaining quality health care for Canadians. As a result, we are implementing this new Express Entry scheme to reinforce the health sector and prevent current health professionals from burnout.”
Over the next five years, the goal is to bring around 8,000 new healthcare workers to Canada annually.
