Ontario eases immigration rules for self-employed physicians. They can now obtain permanent residency via the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
Under the updated requirements, physicians will be able to qualify for some streams by counting periods of self-employed work experience and without requiring a job offer.
The OINP made changes to the following streams:
- Express Entry: Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry: French-Speaking Skilled Worker
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
Before these changes, many physicians wouldn’t have been able to qualify for these streams because physicians are often self-employed in Ontario.
Self-Employment Work Experience
The OINP has amended regulation so that applicants for Human Capital Priorities and French-Speaking Skilled Worker can use periods of self-employment as a physician to meet the streams’ work experience and requirements.
In order to be eligible, applicants should have periods of self-employment under one of the NOC codes:
- NOC 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine.
- NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery.
- NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians.
Before these changes, many physicians would not qualify under the Canadian Experience Class because the CEC requires work experience as an employee, and physicians in Ontario are usually self-employed.
Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream
Ontario eases immigration rules for self-employed physicians. Physicians can now qualify for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream without requiring a job offer.
In order to be eligible, physician applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be applying under NOC codes 31100, 31101, or 31102.
- Be registered and in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in one of the following certificate categories that permits patient care:
- Independent practice
- Academic practice
- Postgraduate education
- Be eligible to get payment for publicly funded health services.
Before this change, self-employment physicians could not qualify for this stream, as the stream needs an employment offer from an Ontario employer.
Earlier Federal Changes
The OINP’s changes align with earlier changes made by the federal government.
The federal government has put in place a temporary public policy making it easier for self-employed physicians to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
This temporary public policy allows physicians to count self-employed work experience towards the requirements of these programs.
The policy also exempts qualifying physicians from needing continuous arranged employment for a minimum of one year after obtaining permanent residency.
The public policy does not have an expiry date – it is set to remain in effect until revoked.
Demand For Medical Professionals In Canada
Ontario eases immigration rules for self-employed physicians. The OINP has made these changes to address Ontario’s shortage of physicians.
With Canada having an aging population and rising demand for healthcare services, various other provinces, like Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba have launched incentives for skilled immigrants in healthcare positions.
In 2023, IRCC launched category-based selection draws for applicants with work experience in certain in-demand professions, including healthcare.
In the latest Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC identified healthcare, trades, as well as French-language proficiency as priority categories for 2025.
About Enhanced PNP Programs
These OINP streams are enhanced PNP programs, implying that they integrate with the federal government’s Express Entry system.
Under the enhanced PNP program, provinces can award provincial nominations to Express Entry applicants.
Upon obtaining a provincial nomination, an applicant gains 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, thus making them extremely likely to obtain an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the forthcoming Express Entry draw.
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