Canada’s healthcare system has been under mounting pressure for years. Emergency room closures, months-long wait times, and severe shortages of family physicians have pushed the issue from a provincial concern into a national crisis. In response, the federal government has begun reshaping immigration policy – not broadly, but surgically.
In December 2025, Ottawa announced targeted immigration measures designed specifically to address the physician shortage, signaling a new era of occupation-focused permanent residence pathways.
A Shift Toward Targeted Immigration
For decades, Canada’s immigration system emphasized general human capital factors: education, language ability, and work experience. While effective for population growth, this approach often failed to respond quickly to acute labour shortages, especially in regulated professions like medicine.
The December 2025 announcement marks a clear pivot. Rather than hoping doctors rise to the top of the Express Entry pool, the government is now actively selecting them.
The New Express Entry Healthcare Category
At the heart of the reform is a new Express Entry category dedicated to healthcare professionals, with physicians receiving top priority. Under this model, candidates are no longer competing solely on Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. Instead, occupation and system need determine selection.
This change recognizes a reality that policymakers have long avoided: Canada does not need “more skilled workers” in the abstract. It needs doctors, nurses, and frontline healthcare providers, urgently.
5,000 Reserved PR Spots for Practice-Ready Doctors
One of the most significant elements of the announcement is the reservation of 5,000 permanent residence spots specifically for physicians.
These spots are allocated through provincial nomination, allowing provinces and territories to identify practice-ready international doctors who meet local licensing and workforce needs. This ensures that permanent residence is tied not just to qualifications, but to actual placement in the healthcare system.
For provinces struggling to recruit and retain physicians – particularly in rural and northern communities – this represents a powerful new tool.
Faster Work Permits, Faster Care
Permanent residence alone does not solve the problem if doctors wait years to practice. To address this, the government also committed to expedited work permits for eligible international physicians.
The goal is to shorten the gap between arrival and employment by:
- Accelerating work authorization
- Improving coordination with provincial medical regulators
- Aligning immigration timelines with licensing processes
If implemented effectively, this could significantly reduce delays that have historically discouraged international doctors from choosing Canada.
Who Benefits from These Changes?
International medical graduates (IMGs) stand to gain the most, particularly those already licensed or close to licensure. Provinces also benefit by gaining more control over physician selection and deployment.
However, the policy does raise questions for other skilled immigrants. By reserving spots for doctors, the system becomes more selective overall, potentially making it harder for candidates in non-priority occupations to receive invitations.
Will This Fix Canada’s Healthcare Crisis?
These measures are a strong step forward, but they are not a silver bullet. Immigration can increase supply, but long-term success depends on:
- Provincial licensing capacity
- Fair and efficient credential recognition
- Retention strategies to keep doctors in Canada long-term
Without parallel investments in healthcare infrastructure and working conditions, Canada risks recruiting doctors only to lose them later.
A New Era of Strategic Immigration
The December 2025 announcement makes one thing clear: Canada is entering a more strategic phase of immigration policy. Permanent residence is no longer just about economic contribution; it is about maintaining essential public services.
For internationally trained doctors, the message is equally clear: Canada is no longer passively open, it is actively recruiting.
Interested in knowing more about this process? We are here to help. You can contact us to confirm if you qualify here.
bakouni-consulting.ca 