Maple News reports that British Columbia has rolled out targeted licensing changes to speed up the path to practice for US-trained doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. In the past year, more than 400 US-trained professionals have relocated to BC, while the province’s recruitment drive—launched in March 2025—has attracted over 2,750 job applications from American healthcare workers, far surpassing expectations.
The initiative aims to alleviate local shortages by tapping into a ready pool of qualified clinicians across the border.
For doctors: In July 2025, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC introduced a new pathway. US-trained doctors who hold certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties can now become fully licensed in BC without further assessments, exams, or retraining.
For nurses: The BC College of Nurses and Midwives began a streamlined registration process in April 2025. US-registered nurses can apply directly to the college for licensure, bypassing the former third-party assessment. The college reviews education, exam results, employment history, and regulatory records through a US national database, and registration now takes days instead of the previous months-long timeline.
Since the new nursing pathway launched, applications from US-trained nurses have surged by about 127%. Between April 2025 and January 2026, more than 1,038 US nurses and nurse practitioners registered to work in BC—eight times higher than the year prior.
If this momentum continues, BC could help ease healthcare gaps in the province and may influence licensing approaches in other provinces. Maple News will continue to monitor developments as more healthcare workers consider relocating to BC.