News Summary
In response to ongoing healthcare staffing shortages, British Columbia has launched a recruitment initiative targeting U.S.-trained healthcare professionals. This strategy is focused on attracting physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals from states like Washington, Oregon, and California. Since the campaign began, there has been significant interest, with over 780 job applications received from U.S. professionals. Regulatory changes have also been implemented to facilitate faster licensing and support the integration of these healthcare workers into the province’s healthcare system.
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia has initiated a new recruitment effort aimed at attracting healthcare professionals trained in the United States, in response to ongoing staffing shortages within the province’s healthcare system. The strategy specifically targets U.S.-trained physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals, with a focus on candidates from neighboring states such as Washington, Oregon, and California.
Significant Interest from U.S.-Trained Healthcare Professionals
Since the start of the campaign in March, BC has received approximately 780 job applications from U.S.-trained healthcare workers. This number includes about 188 physicians and 399 nurses. Additionally, over 2,250 Americans have expressed interest in relocating to BC through participation in informational webinars about employment opportunities. The broader interest group comprises around 827 doctors, 851 nurses, 254 nurse practitioners, and 250 allied health professionals.
Regulatory Changes Facilitate Faster Licensing
To streamline the integration of U.S. professionals into BC’s healthcare system, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC) amended its bylaws to allow full licensure for U.S.-trained doctors without requiring further assessments, exams, or additional training. This change took effect on July 7, 2025, and is intended to expedite the licensing process significantly. Following the approval of these regulations, in the first week alone, 29 U.S. physicians submitted applications for registration.
Furthermore, the new bylaws enable physicians licensed in other Canadian jurisdictions to attain unrestricted licensure within just one week, reducing the previous processing time of about a month. These regulatory adjustments are part of an ongoing effort to address doctor shortages and improve patient access, particularly reducing wait times and emergency room closures.
Enhanced Pathways for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals
BC also aims to attract more U.S. nurses and allied health providers. U.S. nurses can now directly apply to the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM), which hastens their licensing process. Since the start of the recruitment campaign, about 320 applications from U.S. nurses and 46 applications from nurse practitioners have been received.
Expanding Training and Support Programs
BC has announced plans to increase its Practice Ready Assessment program. The program, which prepares internationally trained healthcare workers for practice in BC, will expand from 32 to 96 seats by 2024. This expansion aims to accommodate a rising number of international applicants seeking to work within the province.
Incentives and Compensation Considerations
The province has introduced new pay structures for primary care physicians, including the Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) payment model started in 2023. This model seeks to improve compensation for primary care providers. Despite these efforts, U.S. physicians often earn higher salaries in their home country, which remains a challenge to recruitment. BC’s attractive lifestyle is a significant draw, but lower pay levels compared to the U.S. can impede the attraction of foreign-trained doctors.
Limitations and Restrictions on International Medical Professionals
Regulatory changes specifically apply to U.S. professionals but do not extend to South African family doctors, who have faced restrictions in practicing in Canada since 2010 due to evolving training standards requiring more extensive qualifications.
Addressing Regional Shortages and Future Outlook
The ongoing physician shortage in northern regions of BC is partly attributed to generational shifts in work preferences among recent medical graduates, leading to challenges in staffing rural and underserved areas. In response, the provincial government is working in cooperation with healthcare authorities and partners under a comprehensive “Team BC” approach to improve staffing levels and healthcare access across the province.
This multifaceted strategy underscores BC’s commitment to mitigating healthcare staffing challenges by attracting international talent, streamlining licensing processes, and expanding training capacity—all aimed at ensuring residents receive timely and effective healthcare services.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
British Columbia Attracts U.S. Healthcare Professionals to Combat Staffing Shortages
British Columbia’s Healthcare System Faces Staffing Crisis
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Additional Resources
- Prince George Citizen
- Google Search: American Doctors in BC
- Radio NL
- Google Scholar: BC US Doctor Recruitment
- Victoria Buzz
- Encyclopedia Britannica: healthcare in British Columbia
- My Bulkley Lakes Now
- Google News: BC Healthcare Recruitment
- HCAMag
- Google Search: fast track US doctors nurses BC
- Maple Ridge News
- Wikipedia: Healthcare in Canada
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