Can Canada double health-care worker immigration? Pressure is mounting

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Wednesday that Canada will invite 500 skilled health-care workers to immigrate. Another 1,500 will be invited by July 5.

As Canada stares down a potential crisis in its emergency rooms this summer, the federal government is planning to double the number of health-care professionals it welcomes each year.

But the vow comes as backlogs in processing immigration applications rose last month, and as Ottawa has unveiled multiple new high-profile streams to attract highly skilled newcomers.

“This is a big change in the way that we are going to attract health-care workers to this country,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Wednesday.

Fraser said the health-care workers could come through the federal Express Entry program, which is designed to bring highly skilled immigrants to the country.

Express Entry is a points-based pathway to permanent immigration that grants entry to the candidate with the highest points, regardless of what profession they are in. Now, though, Fraser said the process will offer a “streamlined and efficient” path for people in key sectors.

He said the federal government is now focusing on five key sectors facing labour shortages: health, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professions, agriculture, transportation and skilled trades.

But the first sector to benefit from this new process would be health care.

Fraser said the government was inviting 500 skilled health-care workers to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry process on Wednesday.