Canada continues to recruit healthcare professionals, but moving there as an internationally trained nurse or doctor involves two separate questions: Can you immigrate to Canada, and are you licensed to practise your profession?
A work permit or permanent residence does not automatically make a foreign medical or nursing qualification valid for clinical practice. Healthcare professions are regulated at the provincial and territorial level, so international applicants need to plan licensing and immigration together.
The exact process depends on your profession, training history and the province or territory where you want to work.
Requirements for International Nurses in Canada
Internationally educated nurses (IENs) normally need their education and professional background assessed before obtaining registration in Canada.
For most provincial nursing regulators, the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) is an important starting point for nurses educated outside Canada who want to become a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN).
NNAS verifies information about your identity, nursing education, registration history and professional background. The next steps are determined by the nursing regulator in the province where you intend to work.
A typical route may include:
Create an NNAS account where the service applies.
Submit identity and nursing education information.
Arrange the required verification of your nursing credentials.
Apply to the relevant provincial nursing regulator.
Meet the regulator's language requirements.
Complete any additional education or competency assessment required.
Pass the applicable registration examination.
Obtain provincial registration before practising as a nurse.
Do not assume the process is identical across Canada. Registration standards and assessment routes can vary by province and nursing category.
Language ability also matters. Nurses must be able to communicate safely with patients and healthcare teams, and regulators may require evidence of English or French proficiency.
International nurses should therefore choose their target province early rather than completing immigration plans first and investigating licensing later.
Requirements for International Doctors in Canada
For internationally trained doctors, the licensing route can be more complex.
The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) explains that the pathway for an international medical graduate (IMG) depends on factors including previous postgraduate training, clinical experience and the province or territory where the doctor wants to practise.
One early step for many IMGs is creating a physiciansapply.ca account. This platform provides access to services such as source verification of medical credentials and applications for MCC examinations.
Common requirements can include:
An acceptable medical degree from an acceptable medical school
Source verification of medical credentials
English or French language proficiency where required
The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE)
The National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination for certain pathways
Postgraduate medical training or assessment
Certification in the relevant specialty or family medicine route
Registration with the provincial or territorial medical regulatory authority
Not every doctor follows exactly the same pathway.
An IMG who needs Canadian postgraduate training may pursue residency through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).
Doctors who have completed postgraduate training and practised independently abroad may be eligible for a Practice-Ready Assessment (PRA) route in participating provinces. The MCC describes PRA as a workplace-based assessment route for eligible internationally trained physicians, with eligibility depending on the relevant provincial program.
Other routes may apply to physicians trained in approved jurisdictions or specialists pursuing certification through the appropriate Canadian college.
The key point is simple: check the requirements of the medical regulator in your chosen province before assuming you need a particular examination or training pathway.
Immigration Options for Healthcare Professionals
Professional licensing and immigration should be planned side by side.
Canada continues to give healthcare experience significant attention within its economic immigration system.
For 2026, healthcare and social services occupations remain an Express Entry category. To qualify for this category, candidates must meet the requirements of an Express Entry program and have at least 12 months of eligible full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, within the previous three years.
Eligible occupations include registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, general practitioners, medical specialists and several other healthcare professions.
There is also a new 2026 Express Entry category specifically for medical doctors with Canadian work experience. It targets eligible physicians with at least one year of full-time Canadian medical work experience within the previous three years.
Canada has also reserved up to 5,000 federal immigration spaces for provinces and territories to nominate medical doctors who have qualifying job offers or letters of support.
These immigration programs do not replace professional licensing. IRCC itself states that internationally trained doctors must have their foreign credentials assessed and obtain the appropriate provincial or territorial medical licence to work as physicians.
Provincial Nominee Programs can also be relevant. Some provinces operate healthcare-focused immigration pathways or recruitment programs linked to local workforce needs.
How to Prepare Before Applying for Jobs
International applicants can save considerable time by preparing in the right order.
First, choose the province or territory where you realistically want to work. Then identify the regulator for your profession and check its current licensing requirements.
Gather important documents early, including:
Degree or nursing diploma
Academic transcripts
Current and previous professional licences
Employment history
Internship or postgraduate training records
Identification documents
Language-test results where required
Certificates of professional standing where applicable
Doctors should investigate their MCC and provincial licensing pathway before paying for unnecessary examinations. Nurses should confirm whether NNAS applies to their intended province and nursing category.
When applying for jobs, clearly state your current Canadian licensing status. An employer needs to know whether you are fully registered, undergoing credential assessment, eligible for a particular pathway or still at the research stage.
Canada offers genuine opportunities for internationally trained healthcare professionals, but there is no single licence or immigration pathway that works for everyone.
Treat the process as three connected stages: credential assessment, professional licensing and immigration. Planning all three early gives you a much clearer route from an overseas qualification to a Canadian healthcare career.
Ready to explore opportunities? Find healthcare jobs on Curabix and connect with employers looking for qualified medical professionals.
