Doctor Moving to Canada

[xyz_123_abc]

Hi everyone! I would like to apply for Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Worker program and have some queries.

1. My NOC is 3111 (Specialist Physician). While I am licensed in my home country, to qualify for Express Entry, do I have to be licensed in Canada as well?
2. Before I became a specialist physician, I did 6 years of residency in my home country. Are these 6 years counted as skilled work experience?

Thanks in advance.

 

[steaky]

1) Yes you need have license in Canada

 

[scylla]

Hi everyone! I would like to apply for Express Entry under the Federal Skilled Worker program and have some queries.

1. My NOC is 3111 (Specialist Physician). While I am licensed in my home country, to qualify for Express Entry, do I have to be licensed in Canada as well?
2. Before I became a specialist physician, I did 6 years of residency in my home country. Are these 6 years counted as skilled work experience?

Thanks in advance.

1. You don't need a license to apply under Express Entry and be approved. However you will need to go through a long process once you arrive in Canada to be able to work as a doctor. If you intend to work as a doctor in Canada, I would strongly recommend that you research this process extensively before applying under Express Entry and also read forums to see other people's experiences in going through the certification process. It generally takes years and many are not successful since it is so difficult to secure a residency position. You can also find information here: https://physiciansapply.ca/how-to-become-a-practising-physician-in-canada/
2. Yes assuming you were paid.

 

[canuck78]

Where have you done your residency? What kind of specialist are you? Canada is one of the worst countries for IMGs. Unless you come from a few select countries you will need to pass your licensing exams and then compete for a leftover residency spot and repeat your residency. There may be no spot left after the Canadian students have selected their residencies. Really depends on your specialty. On top of that many specialists can’t find jobs at the end of their training and go abroad to work.

 

[xyz_123_abc]

Where have you done your residency? What kind of specialist are you? Canada is one of the worst countries for IMGs. Unless you come from a few select countries you will need to pass your licensing exams and then compete for a leftover residency spot and repeat your residency. There may be no spot left after the Canadian students have selected their residencies. Really depends on your specialty. On top of that many specialists can’t find jobs at the end of their training and go abroad to work.

1. You don't need a license to apply under Express Entry and be approved. However you will need to go through a long process once you arrive in Canada to be able to work as a doctor. If you intend to work as a doctor in Canada, I would strongly recommend that you research this process extensively before applying under Express Entry and also read forums to see other people's experiences in going through the certification process. It generally takes years and many are not successful since it is so difficult to secure a residency position. You can also find information here: https://physiciansapply.ca/how-to-become-a-practising-physician-in-canada/
2. Yes assuming you were paid.

Thanks for your advice, scylla and canuck78.

I completed my residency in one of the approved jurisdictions so I plan to obtain RCPSC certification through the "approved jurisdictions" route. http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/credentials-exams/assessment-international-medical-graduates-e#ac1. If I am not wrong, does this mean only taking the certifying examinations, without having to complete residency in Canada all over again?

From my preliminary research, if I graduated from a medical school recognized by Canada, have passed MCCQE part 1 & 2 and RCPSC examinations and become a Canadian permanent resident through express entry, am I already eligible for Canadian medical license?

Thanks in advance.

 

[canuck78]

Thanks for your advice, scylla and canuck78.

I completed my residency in one of the approved jurisdictions so I plan to obtain RCPSC certification through the "approved jurisdictions" route. http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/credentials-exams/assessment-international-medical-graduates-e#ac1. If I am not wrong, does this mean only taking the certifying examinations, without having to complete residency in Canada all over again?

From my preliminary research, if I graduated from a medical school recognized by Canada, have passed MCCQE part 1 & 2 and RCPSC examinations and become a Canadian permanent resident through express entry, am I already eligible for Canadian medical license?

Thanks in advance.

Yes. Would warn you that it can be tough to find a job in some specialties. Do you have at least one fellowship? They seem to be almost a requirement these days. Some do more than one but sometimes it's because they can’t find a job they just do another fellowship in Canada or abroad to add qualifications because they can’t find work. There are certainly some specialties in demand so it depends on your area of specialization. For pretty obvious reasons most medical students don’t want to specialize in things like psychiatry, pathology, etc. so lots of jobs in those specialties. Many of the staff jobs are taken by the current fellows or promised to the most favoured R5 after they do their fellowship. Some end up having to patch together some locums or mat leaves and settle for location or provinces that aren’t their pick and some pay significantly less. I assume there is a good chance that you come from the UK or Ireland. Would make sure your chances of finding a job are decent or head to the US. I have had friends that graduated from the top of her class, top residency and school, lots of surgical awards, job offers from big US hospitals yet got one offer in a small town doing breast reconstruction after cancer without much OR time in a small hospital and a 3 month locum doing hand microsurgery. I know That the pay difference can be quite substantial. Like the UK the wait times is mostly a budget issue not indication of jobs going unfilled. Don’t want to scare you but just want you to have realistic expectations. There is a high chance you are relatively young and leaving the NHS. Canada and Australia are often portrayed as the best of both worlds versus the US. People have access to care but you get paid more and work atmosphere is better. There are still challenges and one of the things that may have not come up is difficulty securing a job and the difference in pay between provinces. Each province has a different health system.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/can...new-specialist-doctors-cant-find-a-job-after/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/1-in-6-new-medical-specialists-say-they-can-t-find-work-1.1931800 (this article is from 2013 so it’s a longterm problem)
https://nationalpost.com/health/unt...cant-find-residencies-and-full-time-positions
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/one-i...ists-unemployed-in-2017-study-shows-1.4403295
Lots of other articles

 

[xyz_123_abc]

Yes. Would warn you that it can be tough to find a job in some specialties. Do you have at least one fellowship? They seem to be almost a requirement these days. Some do more than one but sometimes it's because they can’t find a job they just do another fellowship in Canada or abroad to add qualifications because they can’t find work. There are certainly some specialties in demand so it depends on your area of specialization. For pretty obvious reasons most medical students don’t want to specialize in things like psychiatry, pathology, etc. so lots of jobs in those specialties. Many of the staff jobs are taken by the current fellows or promised to the most favoured R5 after they do their fellowship. Some end up having to patch together some locums or mat leaves and settle for location or provinces that aren’t their pick and some pay significantly less. I assume there is a good chance that you come from the UK or Ireland. Would make sure your chances of finding a job are decent or head to the US. I have had friends that graduated from the top of her class, top residency and school, lots of surgical awards, job offers from big US hospitals yet got one offer in a small town doing breast reconstruction after cancer without much OR time in a small hospital and a 3 month locum doing hand microsurgery. I know That the pay difference can be quite substantial. Like the UK the wait times is mostly a budget issue not indication of jobs going unfilled. Don’t want to scare you but just want you to have realistic expectations. There is a high chance you are relatively young and leaving the NHS. Canada and Australia are often portrayed as the best of both worlds versus the US. People have access to care but you get paid more and work atmosphere is better. There are still challenges and one of the things that may have not come up is difficulty securing a job and the difference in pay between provinces. Each province has a different health system.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/can...new-specialist-doctors-cant-find-a-job-after/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/1-in-6-new-medical-specialists-say-they-can-t-find-work-1.1931800 (this article is from 2013 so it’s a longterm problem)
https://nationalpost.com/health/unt...cant-find-residencies-and-full-time-positions
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/one-i...ists-unemployed-in-2017-study-shows-1.4403295
Lots of other articles

Thanks for your reply canuck78.

My girlfriend is an anesthetist and I am an ophthalmologist. While we only completed residency in our home country, we plan to apply for fellowship first after we have moved to Canada. Can I know how stiff the competition is to apply for fellowship in these specialties in Canada? We both did electives in Canada back in medical school. Because of certain reasons, we prefer to settle in the Greater Toronto Area. Will it be hard for us for find jobs in GTA?

Thanks in advance.

 

[canuck78]

Thanks for your reply canuck78.

My girlfriend is an anesthetist and I am an ophthalmologist. While we only completed residency in our home country, we plan to apply for fellowship first after we have moved to Canada. Can I know how stiff the competition is to apply for fellowship in these specialties in Canada? We both did electives in Canada back in medical school. Because of certain reasons, we prefer to settle in the Greater Toronto Area. Will it be hard for us for find jobs in GTA?

Thanks in advance.

Would make sure you line up fellowships in Canada before you move because they are competitive and fellowships in Vancouver and Toronto will be the most competitive. There is no guarantee you will boh get fellowships in the same cities. Many doctors want to end up in Toronto. Other top hospital systems arw also desired. Have 2 physicians in the family is tough. I have had some friends that have had ro work apart for their first jobs and while they waited for the other one to get a jon offer in Ottawa where they wanted to settle. You can't be too picky for your first jobs and you'll need to prioritize if staying together is a priority if only one person gets a offer in Toronto. Smaller or less popular centres may try much harder to find jobs for both of you.

 

[xyz_123_abc]

Would make sure you line up fellowships in Canada before you move because they are competitive and fellowships in Vancouver and Toronto will be the most competitive. There is no guarantee you will boh get fellowships in the same cities. Many doctors want to end up in Toronto. Other top hospital systems arw also desired. Have 2 physicians in the family is tough. I have had some friends that have had ro work apart for their first jobs and while they waited for the other one to get a jon offer in Ottawa where they wanted to settle. You can't be too picky for your first jobs and you'll need to prioritize if staying together is a priority if only one person gets a offer in Toronto. Smaller or less popular centres may try much harder to find jobs for both of you.

Thank you so much for your advice.

 

[canuck78]

Thank you so much for your advice.

No problem good luck. Although fellowships usually start July 1 there are some 3 and 6 months ones that may start at other times. In your fellowship applications you may want to indicate that you are in the process of immigrating to Canada. Good luck. I’m sad for the NHS. They are going to keep losing doctors if they don’t increase salaries. Too easy for their graduates to leave for Australia, Canada or the US. Meanwhile in Canada there is pressure to lower salaries or at least have less of a difference between the top earners and lowest earners.

Good luck!