Medical Licensing

[Najma Abdullahi]

GoodMorning
I'm kindly Enquiring about the process of Moving into Canada
I am a Medical Student in my 3rd Year and living In Zambia (Africa), I will be done after two years in 2022, and my University is Internationally recognized afterwards I would have loved to do my Internship in Canada
If I wanted to move to Canada and Work as a Doctor, what Is the process especially If I am a Newly Graduate Doctor and want to Obtain Residency
What are some of the opportunities that I may Have?

 

[akmh1b]

Please read through the entire thread. There are lots of good comments of people with similar background:
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/doctors-how-do-you-succeed-in-canada.37491/

 

[canuck78]

GoodMorning
I'm kindly Enquiring about the process of Moving into Canada
I am a Medical Student in my 3rd Year and living In Zambia (Africa), I will be done after two years in 2022, and my University is Internationally recognized afterwards I would have loved to do my Internship in Canada
If I wanted to move to Canada and Work as a Doctor, what Is the process especially If I am a Newly Graduate Doctor and want to Obtain Residency
What are some of the opportunities that I may Have?

It will be quite a tough path. You would first need to qualify for PR. To even try to get a residency spot you would need to be a PR or citizen. After Canadian medical students select their residency there are very few spots left. Other IMGs have to compete for the leftover residency spots. You will be competing for a spot with Canadian citizens who have gone to medical schools abroad and practicing physicians who have already practiced medicine in their home country. Do you qualify for PR? If you are a medical student and have never worked you may not. Would really suggest considering other countries like the UK, Ireland and even the US. Still unclear if you qualify for PR but your chances of getting a residency spot are much more difficult in Canada and there is a lot of competition for every spot.

 

[Najma Abdullahi]

Thank you for your response
What about Those Programs that take Doctors from Africa? How about such a process
Is it also possible if I apply for my postgraduate Masters from any university In Canada, What are my chances of getting residency If I have to get a Sponsor afterwards as a Spousal Visa

 

[canuck78]

Thank you for your response
What about Those Programs that take Doctors from Africa? How about such a process
Is it also possible if I apply for my postgraduate Masters from any university In Canada, What are my chances of getting residency If I have to get a Sponsor afterwards as a Spousal Visa

What programs that take doctors from Africa? Maybe you mean a fellowship. Yes Canada does offer fellowships for international doctors after they’ve finished their training so IMGs learn new skills that they take back to their own country. It is not a pathway for IMGs to get licensed in Canada. Actually you could complete a fellowship but then have to complete your residency all over again if you decide you want to move to Canada. You need to be a PR or citizen first before you even try to get a residency. You would need to do your licensing exams before that. They are quite expensive so I would only attempt them when you know you’ll receive PR. Yes you can attempt to do a masters in Canada. You’ll need to show that you have at least 25k or tuition plus 10k in living expenses which ever is higher. Residency chances depend on the speciality. There are many doctors that never get relicensed. Some go to the US or the UK to do their residency with the hopes they can return to Canada after they graduate. Many specialists can’t find jobs in Canada. The backlogs are Primarily due to budget issues and not due to lack of physicians. If you move to Canada you have to be happy not practicing medicine. Even if you do get a residency you have to finish your masters first, work in Canada, qualify for PR, get PR and pass your licensing exams before you will be able to interview for the leftover residency spots. It is likely to be around 5 years minimum until you can even attempt to start a residency. Is there a reason you want to come to Canada? There is a much better chance of getting a junior doctor position in the UK or Ireland. Or even a residency spot in the US. There is a program for international medical graduates that the underserviced areas of the US depend on.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-nearly-one-in-five-new-specialist-doctors-cant-find-a-job-after/