Fund seeks 3,500 overseas medical professionals to address workforce crisis
The federal government is investing millions of dollars to bring more international healthcare professionals to deal with Canada’s healthcare shortage.
In March, the government of Canada announced it would be investing $14.3 million across four organizations through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) to relieve pressure on healthcare workers and address healthcare labor shortages.
The goal of the fund is to help bring more internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHPs) into the workforce and reduce strains on the healthcare system, especially in hospitals, according to a press release from the Canadian government about the program.
The fund will directly support 3,500 participants, providing placements, wages, mentoring, and training.
Steven MacKinnon, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Labour, hopes that by investing in the FCRP, better healthcare can be delivered to Canadians across the board.
Cathy Modesto, the president of Société économique de l’Ontario (SEO), one of the organizations receiving this funding, says the investment is a “significant step forward in the integration of internationally trained women in the health sector.”
“SEO is proud to play a key role in this opportunity-driven initiative and contribute to building a more inclusive and resilient healthcare system,” Modesto said in the same press release.
The FCRP, funded by the government of Canada, provides provincial, territorial, and other organizations with support to quickly integrate skilled newcomers into their field.
In 2022, the FCRP received an investment of $86 million for 15 different projects to help IEHPs receive Canadian accreditation faster and fill open positions in the healthcare sector. This most recent investment is an addition to the one given in 2022.
Canada’s healthcare system has long grappled with labour shortages and a workforce crisis. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, that crisis was only exacerbated.
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Health’s March 2023 report anticipated a shortfall of 78,000 physicians by 2031.
Part of this shortage stems from dissatisfaction, stress, and burnout among healthcare workers, as well as the lack of graduates each year from these professional programs.
A 2023 study found that 40 percent of nurses quit the career before reaching the age of 35. In the survey many cited having no control over their schedules, while others desired better working conditions, and pay, for a reason of quitting.
Family physicians, on the other hand, feel like the family medicine business model leaves them burnt out and burdened with an “avalanche” of paperwork, according to an Ottawa Citizen article.
Right now, an estimated 6.5 million Canadians do not have access to a family doctor, which contributes to stress and dissatisfaction with the healthcare system.
Ottawa’s Future Health Workforce study, published this year, found that to sustain the healthcare workforce, the country needs 23,000 more family doctors, 14,000 licensed practitioners, and 2,700 nurse practitioners—among other positions.
Most IEHPs work in health-related fields, helping to fill shortages, according to Statistics Canada. However, they still face challenges entering the field.
