Canada is currently grappling with a significant shortage of healthcare workers, a problem exacerbated by factors such as the country’s low birth rates and aging population. With approximately nine million Canadians expected to reach the retirement age of 65 in the next seven years, the demand for the healthcare system is projected to rise substantially.

To address this shortage, Canada is relying on immigrants to fill crucial positions and compensate for the diminishing number of younger Canadians. According to recent job vacancy data from Statistics Canada, as of March 2023, the healthcare and social assistance sector accounted for 144,500 vacant positions, comprising 17.7% of all unfilled positions.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, several provinces and territories have already implemented targeted streams within their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) to attract healthcare professionals. For instance, Alberta has introduced a Designated Healthcare Pathway as part of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, British Columbia regularly invites healthcare professionals in their BC PNP draws, and Ontario recently extended invitations to 318 foreign workers in healthcare occupations.

The implementation of category-based selection draws, as anticipated this year, was made possible by changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022. These changes grant the Canadian immigration minister the authority to select economic immigrants based on specific attributes that align with the country’s economic priorities or facilitate the promotion of French-speaking immigration to communities outside of Quebec.