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Quebec says no special recruitment measures to attract U.S. doctors, scientists

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • April 19, 2025

Medical equipment inside the trauma bay photographed during simulation training at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto on Tuesday, August 13, 2019. The mayor of Colwood, B.C., says the city is "very close" to signing two more doctors to work at its municipally-owned medical clinic as other communities inquire about replicating the model. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

MONTREAL -- Quebec doesn't plan to create any special measures to attract U.S.-based doctors and scientists seeking to flee that country over mass layoffs and cuts to health programs.

While several provinces are implementing measures to accelerate doctors from south of the border, Quebec says it won't be one of them.

In an email to this week, the province's Immigration Department says no special measures are planned to encourage American doctors to settle in the Quebec.

Sante Quebec, the agency that manages health-care in the province, also stated in writing that no additional measures are currently planned by the agency to facilitate the recruitment of American doctors.

The agency specified that doctors who completed their training in the United States have access to the regular permit from Quebec's College of Physicians and must immigrate to Canada like any other person from abroad.

Unlike Quebec, other Canadian provinces have decided to facilitate the recruitment process -- Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan.

International medical graduates who wish to practice in Quebec must have the equivalence of their medical degree obtained in their country and recognized by the college.

It is also possible to obtain a restrictive license that permits practising in Quebec.

This report by was first published April 19, 2025.