Ontario: Qualified US Doctors, Nurses Can Begin Work Before Registration

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones listens to questions from reporters following a press conference in Etobicoke, Ont., on Jan. 11, 2023. The Canadian Press/Tijana Martin

Doctors and nurses licensed in the United States can begin working immediately in Ontario hospitals and clinics upon relocating, the provincial government announced.

The announcement on June 5 is part of Ontario’s ongoing plan to strengthen its health care system and to increase the number of health care professionals working in the province.

The latest move will enable qualified U.S.-licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and registered practical nurses to start working in Ontario health settings without first registering with a regulatory college.

Specifically, the American health care professionals will be allowed to work for up to six months while seeking registration with either the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario or the College of Nurses of Ontario.

To be eligible, these physicians and nurses would still need to go through the standard Canadian immigration or work permit process, and that they “must be licensed in their home jurisdiction with no history of misconduct or incompetence.”

“By cutting the red tape that is delaying highly trained U.S.-licensed doctors and nurses from being able to live and work in Ontario, we are making bold strides to ensure Ontario patients receive timely and accessible care,” Sylvia Jones, deputy premier and minister of health, said in a statement.

“These changes build on our government’s historic action to reduce labour mobility barriers for health-care professionals within Canada, and will now make it faster and easier for American physicians and nurses to care for Ontario patients.”

The minister was referring to the “As of Right” rules, introduced in 2023, that expedited the process for physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and medical laboratory technologists registered in other provinces and territories to work in Ontario while going through the registration process.

The June 5 announcement will allow the U.S.-licensed doctors and nurses to work in a wide range of health settings, including hospitals, long-term care homes, primary care, home and community care, and community laboratories, the province said.

‘Crisis’

The shortage of physicians in Ontario was highlighted by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) in January, saying there were 2.5 million residents without a family doctor. The OMA has predicted that number will increase to 4.4 million in a year, and said the provincial health care system is in “crisis.”

Jones had previously refuted the OMA’s assertions, saying data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicates 90 percent of Ontarians already have a regular health care provider.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Medical Association has estimated that 6.5 million Canadians do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner they regularly see.

Ontario is not the only province aiming to attract health care professionals from the United States. On June 4, Manitoba announced it has launched a marketing campaign to recruit these professionals from several U.S. states, including Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

British Columbia likewise launched a multimedia campaign on June 2, featuring targeted messages urging doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals in Washington state, Oregon, and California “to follow their hearts to B.C.”

In April, Saskatchewan released a digital campaign to attract doctors from the United States.

The province said the campaign was being launched in an uncertain political environment, offering U.S. professionals a secure and stable home.

Chandra Philip, Jennifer Cowan, and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.