Want to apply for Canada PR as a doctor in 2023? You’re in luck!
Post-pandemic Canada is facing drastic labor shortages of professionals in the healthcare industry. Now, more than ever, Canada is in need of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. In this write-up, we’ve put down a step by step process for Canada PR – for aspiring immigrants wanting to live and work in Canada as a doctor.
How to live and work in Canada as a Doctor?
STEP 1: Check whether Canada recognizes your medical degree.
Start the process by searching for your medical school in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDMS). If you find a “Canada Sponsor Note” next to your medical school – it is the first indicator that the Canadian government recognizes your school.
STEP 2: Open a physiciansapply account.
This is mandatory. You will need to sign up for an online account by visiting the official physiciansapply website. You will be using this portal throughout the step by step process for Canada PR as a doctor. For instance, you will need the physiciansapply account for medical credentials, registration of exams, and tracking application purposes. You will need to pay a fee of $290 to set it up.
STEP 3: Submit your medical credentials for source verification to the Medical Council of Canada (MCC).
The source of your medical credentials must be verified first, followed by an Education Credential Assessment (ECA). The source verification fee is $170 per credential and ECA report fee is $108. At this stage, you can start your process of immigrating to Canada as a doctor by creating an Express Entry profile.
Express Entry is Canada’s primary economic immigration pathway and manages three streams. Qualified doctors would be eligible to apply for Canada PR under Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) stream. Eligibility for Express Entry is determined using a point-based system. Highest scoring candidates are issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.
- Pro Tip! Seek guidance from Canada immigration consultants in Noida to increase your chances of receiving an ITA under the Express Entry.
STEP 4: Take the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam (MCCQE) Part 1.
The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam (MCCQE) Part 1 is a one-day, computer-based test. It is designed to assess the critical medical knowledge alongside the clinical decision-making ability of the candidate – who has completed a medical degree in Canada. The MCCQE Part 1 test can be taken in over 80 countries at more than 500 test centers around the world. The cost to apply for MCCQE Part 1 is $1,305.
- Take note! At this stage, you will have mostly immigrated to Canada under Express Entry. However, you cannot practice as a doctor yet – as the accreditation has not been completed. Read about the next steps to complete it.
STEP 5: Take the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Exam.
International medical graduates are mandated to take the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) exam – only if they intend to apply for Canada PR. This one-day exam assesses the graduate’s readiness to apply for a Canada PR program. It assesses the skills, knowledge, and expertise required to enter post-graduate training in Canada. The cost to apply for the NAC exam is $2,830.
STEP 6: Take the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam (MCCQE) Part 2.
The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam (MCCQE) Part 2 is a two-day, computer-based test. It is design to assess the core abilities to apply medical knowledge, develop investigational & therapeutic clinical plans, and demonstrate clinical skills. It also requires the candidate to demonstrate professional behaviors and attitudes – at a level expected of a doctor practicing medicine in Canada. The MCCQE Part 2 test can be take in Canada only and the application fee is $2,780.
STEP 7: Get licentiate from the Medical Council of Canada (MCC).
Having passed the MCCQE Part 1 and 2 tests, international doctors may be awarded the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). Having the LMCC does not authorize you to practice medicine in Canada, only medical regulatory authorities in Canada can issue such a license. The LMCC will be require to apply for this medical license in a Canadian province or territory.
STEP 8: Take a Practice-ready Assessment (PRA) program.
International doctors that have post-graduate clinical medical training abroad – looking to get a provincial or territorial license to begin independent practice can now apply for a Practice-ready Assessment (PRA) program. Some of the popular ones include Alberta Clinical and Surgical Assistant Program, HealthForceOntario Access Centre, Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates (Manitoba), and Clinical Skills Assessment and Training Program (Newfoundland and Labrador).
STEP 9: Submit an application to the Registrar of the Canadian Medical Regulatory Authority (MRA).
Since each of the Canadian provinces and territories has its own Medical Regulatory Authority and requirements, the LMCC will be require to apply for such a medical license. Upon successful licensing from the MRA, international doctors (such as yourself) can practice in Canada.
There you have it, step by step process for Canada PR – for aspiring immigrants wanting to live and work in Canada as a doctor. Still confused? Get in touch with Canada immigration consultants in Noida today!
