OTTAWA — Canada is expanding opportunities for qualified international doctors to build careers in the country as healthcare workforce shortages remain a major challenge for the Canadian health system.

Five immigration routes are being highlighted for medical professionals seeking permanent residence, including Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot.

The pathways could be particularly important for physicians willing to work in rural, remote and underserved communities, where access to doctors remains a persistent healthcare concern.

Internationally trained doctors must still meet Canadian requirements for medical credential assessment and provincial or territorial licensing before practising medicine. Immigration approval does not automatically provide a licence to practise.

The initiative comes as Canada continues efforts to strengthen its healthcare workforce and attract skilled professionals in areas facing shortages. The federal government has increasingly identified healthcare workers as an important part of Canada's broader skilled-worker strategy.

For international doctors, the expanded immigration options could create new opportunities to settle in Canada while helping provinces address gaps in medical staffing.