- The Canadian government has published a dedicated immigration pathway specifically designed for medical doctors seeking to work in the country
- Medical doctors nominated by a Canadian province or territory qualify for a work permit processed within 14 days under the new arrangement
- The fast-tracked permit allows doctors to begin working in Canada while their permanent residence application is still being processed
The Canadian government has outlined a fast-track route that allows foreign medical doctors to obtain a work permit within 14 days, offering a significant advantage to healthcare professionals looking to relocate to Canada.
According to details published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the key requirement is a nomination from a Canadian province or territory. Doctors who secure that provincial or territorial nomination become eligible for the expedited work permit, which is processed in as little as 14 days.
Source: UGC
How Canada’s 14-day work permit works
The arrangement, according to the Canadian government, is designed to bridge the gap between arriving in Canada and receiving permanent residence.
Rather than waiting through the often lengthy immigration process before they can start practising, nominated doctors can enter the workforce almost immediately. The work permit allows them to take up employment while their permanent residence application continues through the system.
This pathway is part of a broader dedicated immigration programme Canada operates for medical doctors, recognising the country’s ongoing demand for healthcare professionals across its provinces and territories.
Canada: What Nigerian doctors need to know
For Nigerian doctors considering the Japa route to Canada, provincial or territorial nomination is the critical first step. Each province and territory runs its own nomination streams, with specific eligibility criteria that applicants must meet before a nomination can be granted.
Once nominated, the 14-day work permit processing timeline means that qualified doctors could find themselves working in Canadian healthcare facilities within weeks rather than months, making Canada’s immigration offer to medical professionals one of the most competitive in the world for that category.
Simlarly, Canada’s immigration authority, IRCC, shared key steps skilled professionals need to take before they can apply for permanent residence.
Canda: Requirements to qualify for work visa
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Canada extended the open work permit application deadline to December 31, 2026, for certain permanent residence applicants.
The extension targets foreigners who applied under the 2021 temporary resident-to-permanent resident pathway and are still awaiting a decision.
Source: Legit.ng