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Immigration for Doctors to Canada through the Ontario Program
Ontario province has conducted a new draw through its Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream, under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), issuing 1,269 invitations specifically for healthcare occupations for doctors to immigrate to Canada. This draw took place on September 12, 2024 (21st of Shahrivar, 1403). The goal of this draw was to target candidates with CRS scores between 414 and 444.
What is the Ontario Program for Doctors to Immigrate to Canada?
The Ontario Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream for doctors to immigrate to Canada is one of Ontario’s immigration streams under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
This program provides an opportunity for foreign healthcare professionals who have the required work experience, language abilities, and education to apply for permanent residence in Ontario.
- An important and interesting point is that if you are a doctor or a healthcare professional on the health occupations list (see below), you do not need a job offer to apply for this program.
You must have a valid profile in the Express Entry system of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and receive an invitation from Ontario to apply online for nomination for permanent residency by the Ontario government.
If nominated, your next step is to apply to the federal government through IRCC. They will make the final decision on who is granted permanent residency.
List of Healthcare Professions for Immigration to Canada through Ontario’s Program
Candidates will only receive an invitation if they have work experience in one of the following occupations:
- NOC 30010 – Healthcare Managers
- NOC 31100 – Clinical and Laboratory Medical Specialists
- NOC 31101 – Surgical Specialists
- NOC 31102 – General Practitioners and Family Physicians
- NOC 31103 – Veterinarians
- NOC 31110 – Dentists
- NOC 31111 – Optometrists
- NOC 31112 – Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
- NOC 31120 – Pharmacists
- NOC 31121 – Dietitians and Nutritionists
- NOC 31200 – Psychologists
- NOC 31201 – Chiropractors
- NOC 31202 – Physiotherapists
- NOC 31203 – Occupational Therapists
- NOC 31204 – Kinesiologists and Other Professional Therapists
- NOC 31209 – Other Professional Health Diagnosing and Treatment Occupations
- NOC 31300 – Nurse Coordinators and Supervisors
- NOC 31301 – Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses
- NOC 31302 – Nurse Practitioners
- NOC 31303 – Physician Assistants, Midwives, and Health-Related Professions
- NOC 32100 – Opticians
- NOC 32101 – Licensed Practical Nurses
- NOC 32102 – Paraclinical Occupations
- NOC 32103 – Respiratory Therapists, Perfusionists, and Clinical Technologists
- NOC 32104 – Animal Health Technologists and Veterinary Technicians
- NOC 32109 – Other Technical Occupations in Diagnosis and Treatment
- NOC 32110 – Denturists
- NOC 32111 – Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists
- NOC 32112 – Dental Technologists and Technicians
- NOC 32120 – Medical Laboratory Technologists
- NOC 32121 – Medical Radiation Technologists
- NOC 32122 – Medical Sonographers
- NOC 32123 – Cardiovascular Technologists and Electrophysiological Diagnostic Technologists
- NOC 32124 – Pharmacy Technicians
- NOC 32129 – Other Technologists and Technicians in Medicine
- NOC 32200 – Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncturists
- NOC 32201 – Massage Therapists
- NOC 32209 – Other Natural Health Therapists
- NOC 33100 – Dental Assistants and Dental Laboratory Assistants
- NOC 33101 – Medical Laboratory Assistants and Related Technical Occupations
- NOC 33102 – Nursing Assistants, Orderlies, and Patient Services Associates
- NOC 33103 – Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Assistants
- NOC 33109 – Other Healthcare Support Occupations
Conditions for Immigrating Doctors to Canada Through Ontario’s Program
1- Having Work Experience
One of the main requirements for immigrating to Canada as a doctor under Ontario’s program is having relevant work experience, which will be assessed based on different conditions according to the type of evaluation system. You need to decide whether you want to be assessed under one of the two federal programs in the Express Entry system:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Federal Skilled Worker Program for Doctors Immigration to Canada through Ontario Program
In the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you as a doctor or a member of the healthcare team must:
- Have at least one year of continuous* full-time paid work experience (or the equivalent in part-time paid work) in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Your work experience must:
- Be obtained within the last five years from the date of application submission to the OINP program.
- Be in the same occupation you declared in your Express Entry profile.
*Continuous work means uninterrupted employment for a period of one year.
Your work experience can be inside or outside Canada.
Work experience may include consecutive jobs with one or more employers (without gaps between them), but at least one year must be in the same NOC occupation declared as your main job in the Express Entry profile.
If you are using self-employed work experience, you must provide documents that can be independently verified by a third party. This includes client reference letters outlining duties and work periods, as well as proof of regular payments for services rendered (e.g., invoices). Your self-employment hours must be measurable to demonstrate that you have worked at least 1560 hours in one year. Employment verification letters signed by yourself or family members are not accepted under Ontario’s immigration program for doctors to Canada.
Canadian Experience Class Program for Doctors Immigration to Canada through Ontario Program
In the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, you as a doctor or a member of the healthcare team must:
- Have at least one year of accumulated* full-time paid work experience (or the equivalent in part-time paid work) in Canada in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 categories of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
- If you have received an Ontario Invitation to Apply (ITA) or Notice of Interest (NOI) in a draw, you must demonstrate that at least six months of your one year of eligible work experience is in your primary occupation.
Your work experience must:
- Be obtained within the last three years from the date of submission of your application to OINP.
- Be in one of the occupations declared in your Express Entry profile.
- Be obtained in Canada while maintaining legal status.
*Accumulated means:
Your work must total one year – it does not need to be continuous work.
Paid work experience gained during full-time study (such as internships) and self-employment is not accepted under CEC.
Common Work Rules in Both Programs
Your work experience must be accumulated over a minimum one-year period. Work experience that reaches 1560 hours in less than a year is not eligible.
Full-time work experience means working in a job with at least 30 hours per week, reaching 1560 hours of work per year.
Equivalent part-time work experience means:
-
- Working in one job for at least 15 hours per week for two years, totaling a minimum of 1560 hours in those two years, or
- Working in multiple jobs for at least 30 hours per week for one year, totaling a minimum of 1560 hours in that one year.
If your work experience in Ontario is in a job that requires a license or additional certification, only the work experience after your qualification for that occupation in Ontario will be eligible.
Volunteer work and unpaid internships are not considered work experience.
Paid time off, regular sick leave, and other leave entitlements provided by collective agreements, workplace laws, or employer policies do not count as breaks in full-time employment.
Long-term leaves are considered breaks in employment and will not be included in the cal
2- Valid Educational Credential in Canada
To be eligible for immigration to Canada as a doctor or healthcare professional through the Ontario program, you must have a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree from Canada or an equivalent degree from another country.
Nursing Credential in Canada
If a nurse meets the following criteria, they are exempt from providing an equivalent nursing credential:
- Being a registered member of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) in the general, extended, or temporary classes.
- Their primary occupation code must be one of the following:
- NOC 31300 – Nursing Coordinators and Supervisors
- NOC 31301 – Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses
- NOC 31302 – Nurse Practitioners
- NOC 32101 – Licensed Practical Nurses
For complete details on nursing immigration to Canada, complete the SMILE to Canada assessment form and receive expert advice from official immigration lawyers.
Educational Credential Assessment for Healthcare Professionals in Canada
If you completed your education outside of Canada, you must provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report to prove that your degree is equivalent to a Canadian degree.
The assessment must be done by one of the organizations below, which are approved by IRCC:
- Comparative Education Services – University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies
- International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
- International Credential Evaluation Service
- International Credential Evaluation Service (Specialized Organization for Physicians)
- Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (Specialized Organization for Pharmacists)
- World Education Services
Each organization has different fees and processing times. To choose the best option, visit the website of each ECA organization.
When submitting your application, you must provide a copy of the ECA report. The report must be no more than five years old at the time of submission.
Immigration officers must be able to verify your ECA results with the relevant organization. To facilitate this, you must allow the relevant organization to share your evaluation results with the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
If you have questions about the process of obtaining an educational credential assessment or how to authorize and share ECA results, please contact SMILE to Canada directly.
3- Language Proficiency for Immigration of Physicians to Canada through the Ontario Program
Physicians migrating to Canada through the Ontario program need to have English or French language proficiency at a minimum of CLB 7 or higher in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
To prove the required language skills, you must take a language test in English or French from an approved testing agency before submitting your application. The test date must be no more than two years old at the time of application submission.
Accepted English Language Tests for the Ontario Program
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Only the General Training test is accepted. Please note that the IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted.
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) – Only the General test is accepted.
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Core – Please note that only PTE Core is accepted, and PTE Academic is not accepted.
Accepted French Language Tests for the Ontario Program
- Test d’Évaluation de Français pour le Canada (TEF)
- Test de Connaissance du Français pour le Canada (TCF Canada)
4 – Financial Requirements for Immigration of Doctors to Canada
Doctors and healthcare professionals wishing to immigrate to Canada through the Ontario program must have enough money to support themselves and their dependent family members during their stay in Canada.
Please note that family members include spouse, common-law partner, children under the age of 22, and their dependent children.
Accepted Financial Requirements
- Cash or bank account balances, or other investment statements such as redeemable long-term deposits, mutual funds, etc.
- Annual income from current employment in Ontario
- A job offer in Ontario
This requirement applies to all applicants, including those whose applications are evaluated under the Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Minimum Financial Requirements for the Ontario Program
The table below shows the minimum acceptable financial requirements based on the number of family members for physicians immigrating to Canada through the Ontario Express Entry Program:
| تعداد اعضای خانواده | تمکن مالی (دلار کانادا) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 14,690 |
| 2 | 18,288 |
| 3 | 22,483 |
| 4 | 27,297 |
| 5 | 30,690 |
| 6 | 34,917 |
| 7 | 38,875 |
| به اضای هر نفر مازاد بر 7 نفر | 3,958 |
Example: You have reviewed the required amount of money and based on the number of family members, you should have CAD 29,000. You have a job offer in Ontario with an annual salary of CAD 25,000 and a balance of CAD 5,000 in your savings account, totaling CAD 30,000. By combining your job offer and bank account balance, you have met the financial requirement.
If the bank statements include a large one-time deposit, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to prove that the amount is free from debt or obligations.
5- Willingness to Live in Ontario
One of the main and important conditions for healthcare professionals and physicians to immigrate to Canada through the Ontario program is the willingness to live in Ontario after obtaining Canadian permanent residency.
How Will the Willingness to Live in Ontario be Assessed?
Immigration officers will determine this by reviewing your connections to Ontario, which may include the following:
- Working or having work experience in Ontario
- Receiving job offers or applying and participating in job interviews
- Studying in Ontario
- Volunteering activities
- Renting or owning property
- Visiting the province
- Having professional networks, family relationships, and personal connections
6- Legal Presence in Canada
If you are applying from within Canada, you must have legal status at the time of your application (tourist visa, study permit, or work permit) and maintain that status until the Express Entry invitation is approved.
You can apply if you are in “maintained status” at the time of your application to the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP).
“Maintained status” means that you have submitted a request to extend your temporary visa (tourist visa, work permit, or study permit) before it expires. In this case, you are allowed to stay in Canada and continue working or studying under the terms of your current permit while waiting for IRCC’s decision on your application.
7- Selection of the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) Evaluation System
If doctors choose to immigrate to Canada through Ontario and opt for evaluation based on the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), they must score at least 67 points from the six selection factors (education, language skills, work experience, age, job offer in Canada, and adaptability). To get a better understanding of your situation, you can calculate your score
SMILE to Canada: Your Guide to Immigration to Canada
Many skilled doctors and healthcare professionals in our country face numerous challenges due to receiving incorrect information or choosing difficult paths for immigration to Canada.
The Ontario Immigration Program for doctors and healthcare professionals provides an exceptional opportunity to obtain permanent residence in Canada with the least cost and in the shortest time possible.
All you need to do is take this path with sufficient knowledge of immigration laws. The SMILE to Canada immigration team, relying on their skills and expertise, will accompany you until you achieve your permanent residency.