Canada has launched a new express entry category towards permanent residency that is designed to attract overseas doctors, top-tier researchers and academics.
The initiative is a ($1.2 billion) 12-year pathway designed to attract individuals in these professions who must have accumulated at least one year of work experience within Canada.
This was necessitated by Canada’s severe shortage of primary care doctors, which has left millions without a family physician, and contributed to prolonged emergency room queues and poorer public health outcomes.
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The aim of the new pathway is to position the country as a premier destination for global talent as the United States (US) tightens restrictions on highly skilled foreign workers.
The Canadian government announced on Tuesday that the substantial 12-year investment will be channelled into recruiting and supporting over 1,000 individuals leading “world-leading research” in vital sectors, including medical professionals and scientists.
This move comes as the US introduces significantly higher costs for its H-1B skilled worker visa, reportedly charging up to $100,000 for the permit, a measure that threatens to deter foreign professionals from seeking employment in the States.
“As other countries constrain academic freedoms and undermine cutting-edge research, Canada is investing in and doubling down on science,” according to Melanie Joly, Canada’s Industry Minister, in a statement.
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“Today’s investment is about securing Canada’s place at the forefront of discovery and innovation and leveraging our strength in science to support our future well-being and prosperity for generations to come.”
Similarly, Lena Metlege Diab, Canada’s Minister of Refugees and Citizenship, said, “This dedicated Express Entry category, along with the reserved federal admission spaces for provinces and territories, will help bring in and keep practice-ready doctors, so people across Canada can get the care they need”.
Though the initiative does not explicitly single out the US, it is widely viewed as a direct attempt to draw in highly skilled migrants, such as those who might typically seek an H-1B visa, who are now facing mounting financial hurdles south of the border.
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The elevated US visa fee, which was announced by the USCIS in October, is intended to boost domestic hiring in some industries. However, it is feared to be a significant blow to sectors heavily reliant on international expertise, such as the US healthcare system, which depends on foreign doctors, nurses, and lab technicians.
Reports indicates that the strategy is already yielding results has emerged, with a number of scholars transferring from US institutions to Canadian universities.
For instance, the University of Toronto reported in November the successful recruitment of three top-tier researchers from US establishments whose work spans from astrophysics to economics. They have hailed the achievement as a “big win for Canada.”
Minister Joly also noted, “By attracting the top minds from around the world to work alongside exceptional Canadian researchers, the Government of Canada is building the kind of scientific and academic powerhouse that drives the strongest economy in the G7.”
