Canada Announces a Pathway for Foreign Doctors To Get Work Permits in 14 Days

• Canada's immigration authority published details of a dedicated pathway that allows foreign medical doctors to obtain a work permit within 14 days
• The fast-track route hinges on a single critical requirement that doctors must secure before they can access the expedited process
• The work permit is designed to let nominated doctors begin practising in Canada while their permanent residence application is still being processed

Canada has outlined an accelerated immigration pathway for foreign medical doctors, offering eligible applicants a work permit processed in as little as 14 days.

The details were published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which confirmed that the scheme forms part of a dedicated immigration programme the country operates specifically for medical professionals.

How Canada's 14-day work permit works

The central requirement for accessing the expedited route is a nomination from a Canadian province or territory.

Doctors who secure that provincial or territorial nomination become eligible for the fast-tracked work permit, with processing completed within a fortnight.

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The arrangement is structured to bridge the gap between arriving in Canada and receiving full permanent residence.

Rather than waiting through the often lengthy permanent residence process before they can begin practising, nominated doctors can enter the Canadian healthcare workforce almost immediately.

The work permit remains valid while their permanent residence application continues through the system.

Each province and territory administers its own nomination streams, with specific eligibility criteria that applicants must satisfy before a nomination can be granted. Provincial nomination is therefore the critical first step for any doctor looking to take advantage of this pathway.

What doctors considering Canada need to know

For Ghanaian medical professionals exploring relocation options, the IRCC also published key steps that skilled professionals must complete before applying for permanent residence in Canada.

The combination of the 14-day work permit and the dedicated doctor immigration programme means that qualified doctors could find themselves employed in Canadian healthcare facilities within weeks of securing their nomination, rather than waiting months for their immigration status to be resolved.

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Canada extends work permit deadline for foreigners awaiting permanent residency

Canada's ongoing demand for healthcare professionals across its provinces and territories underpins the programme. The country has consistently faced shortages in its healthcare sector, making medical doctors one of the most sought-after categories within its immigration framework.

The speed and structure of the Canadian pathway stand in notable contrast to other countries' permanent residency routes, which can impose significantly steeper income or residency conditions before a foreign national is even eligible to apply.

Canada extends work permit deadline for PR applicants

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Canada had extended the permit application deadline for foreign nationals.

The extension applies to applicants who submitted permanent residence applications through the 2021 Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident (TR to PR) pathway.

Source: YEN.com.gh