The initiative allows eligible physicians to receive their work permits in as little as 14 days.

The initiative was announced by Canada’s Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, alongside Parliamentary Secretary to the Health Minister Maggie Chi, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Canada’s overstretched healthcare system. Officials said the new policy is designed to fill urgent staffing gaps in hospitals and clinics across provinces and territories.

Under the new framework, foreign-trained doctors who secure a valid job offer and obtain a provincial or territorial nomination will qualify for accelerated work permit processing. The permits will allow doctors to begin or continue working in Canada while their permanent residency (PR) applications are under review.

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To support long-term retention, the federal government has also allocated 5,000 additional permanent residency slots exclusively for licensed doctors under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Authorities said the move will help retain practice-ready physicians who are already contributing to Canada’s healthcare services.

In addition, the government plans to introduce a dedicated Express Entry category for doctors in early 2026. This category will prioritize physicians with at least one year of recent Canadian work experience, further streamlining their pathway to permanent residency.

Officials stressed that the policy reflects Canada’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery by attracting skilled medical professionals from around the world.