Integrating internationally educated health professionals into Canada's health care workforce

In this study I examine the barriers to integration faced by international health professionals in Canada and initiatives used to facilitate positive labour outcomes for immigrants trained in the health professions. Canada is experiencing a shortage of health professionals, yet internationally educated nurses and doctors experience lower employment rates than those educated in Canada. This indicates that internationally educated health professionals are not integrating successfully into Canada’s health care workforce. I examine the immigration and integration policies of Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and I find that they have several main characteristics in common. Based on these findings, I propose policy options that address the lack of integration of immigrant health professionals in Canada. I then evaluate these alternatives based on a set of criteria, and I recommend integrating credential recognition into the federal immigration process.