Maple News reports that Canadians are increasingly concerned about the state of the country’s healthcare system, with a shortage of medical professionals pushing wait times to historic highs. According to new research, 6.5 million Canadians currently lack access to a family doctor — a problem that continues to fuel widespread dissatisfaction across the nation.
Ontario alone reported 2,600 unfilled physician positions in early 2025, highlighting a deepening gap between healthcare supply and demand. As this workforce crisis escalates, a growing number of Canadians believe immigration could be key to the solution.
A recent survey reveals strong public support for integrating more foreign-trained medical professionals into Canada’s healthcare system. These professionals often bring years of experience but are held back by complex licensing barriers and limited opportunities for medical residency — the final hurdle to practicing medicine in Canada.
Licensing requirements, such as mandatory Canadian residency training or clinical clerks at domestic medical schools, disproportionately affect internationally trained physicians. Compounding this issue, the majority of medical residency spots remain reserved for graduates of Canadian institutions.
In 2024, nearly 95% of Canadian medical graduates secured residency placements. In contrast, only 42% of international medical graduates were matched with a program — a statistic that reflects systemic barriers rather than a lack of capability or experience.
Moreover, immigration itself poses an additional obstacle. Acquiring permanent residency — a prerequisite for medical licensing — often entails long wait times, adding to the frustration of qualified candidates ready to serve Canadian communities.
Faced with these chronic healthcare staffing shortages and limited training capacity, experts and advocates are urging policymakers to modernize licensing pathways and adapt immigration policies to better leverage global healthcare talent.
By streamlining certification processes and expanding residency opportunities, Canada could more effectively tap into its large pool of foreign-trained medical professionals — and bring much-needed relief to a healthcare system in crisis.
As support for such changes grows, the conversation around immigration is shifting from controversy to necessity. For many Canadians, the question is no longer whether immigration can help fix healthcare — it’s how quickly the system can evolve to make it happen.