The federal government has unveiled a new immigration pathway designed to accelerate the approval of foreign trained physicians in Canada. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the initiative on Monday, explaining that the health system can no longer keep pace with rising demands and that a faster, more direct route to permanent residence is now essential to address widespread shortages.
During her announcement, Diab said the pressure felt in emergency rooms and family clinics has reached a level that requires decisive action. She noted that patients continue to struggle to find primary care, while frontline workers report increasingly difficult working conditions. The new pathway, she explained, responds directly to requests from provinces, medical associations and families across the country who have asked for more qualified physicians to join the system.
The measures focus on internationally trained doctors who have completed at least one year of Canadian work experience within the past three years. Selected applicants will receive expedited processing for work permits that can be completed in as little as fourteen days. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed that an additional five thousand federal admission spots will be made available to provinces and territories specifically for licensed physicians who hold job offers within their jurisdiction.
The announcement comes at a time when access to primary care remains a pressing national concern, although recent data suggests gradual improvement. The 2025 OurCare national survey, led by Dr. Tara Kiran of St. Michael’s Hospital in partnership with the Canadian Medical Association, reported that an estimated five point nine million Canadians are without a regular primary care provider. This figure reflects a decline from the six point five million Canadians identified in the 2022 survey, indicating modest progress.
Despite the improvement, survey respondents continued to express frustration with the overall performance of the primary care system. Only twenty eight per cent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with how primary care functions across the country. CMA president Dr. Margot Burnell said the findings align with the experiences of both physicians and patients who still face serious barriers. Burnell added that the solutions are known and achievable, and that expanding the physician workforce is a crucial step toward ensuring access to reliable care for all Canadians.
