Canada needs healthcare workers, and the country is making it easier than ever for qualified professionals to make the move. Canada’s new rules are fast-tracking healthcare workers from the US, Africa, and around the world through streamlined credential recognition and priority work permit processing .
In British Columbia alone, over 400 US-trained healthcare workers have made the move in the past year, while African-trained nurses and doctors are also seeing faster pathways to licensure and permanent residence. Here is exactly how the new system works and how you can make the move in 2026.
What Changed for Healthcare Workers in BC
In 2025, British Columbia overhauled its approach to recognizing international medical credentials. The province introduced the new International Credentials Recognition Act, which compels professional regulators to make registration processes faster, fairer, and more transparent .
For Doctors: A New Fast-Track Pathway
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC created a new pathway in July 2025. US-trained doctors who hold certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties can now become fully licensed in BC without further assessment, exams, or training .
For internationally trained doctors (IMGs), BC has tripled the seats in its Practice Ready Assessment program from 32 to 96 annually. This program allows eligible international medical graduates from countries like India, Sri Lanka, Iran, and African nations to undergo a supervised assessment and quickly qualify to work as family doctors .
BC also created a new “associate physician” class of registration, allowing IMGs who are not yet fully licensed to work under supervision in hospitals and team-based settings .
For Nurses: Faster Registration for US and African Applicants
The BC College of Nurses and Midwives launched a streamlined registration process in April 2025 .
For US nurses: Direct application to the college is now possible, bypassing third-party assessments. Registration now takes days instead of up to four months .
For African-trained nurses: Canadian regulatory bodies are actively working to shorten assessment timelines. The National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) recently visited Ghana’s KNUST School of Nursing and Midwifery to understand their BSc Nursing and Midwifery programmes. The goal is to reduce the credential evaluation timeframe from 12 months to just one month for Ghanaian applicants.
READ: What can I expect from a nursing career?
Who Can Benefit – US and African Healthcare Workers Alike
Numbers from the US
As of January 2026, over 400 US professionals accepted job offers in BC, including :
- 89 doctors
- 260 nurses
- 42 nurse practitioners
- 23 allied health professionals
Africa’s Healthcare Talent Pool
Africa is home to a vast pool of healthcare professionals. Countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, and South Africa produce thousands of nurses, doctors, and allied health workers annually .
Canadian authorities recognize that tapping into this talent pool offers mutual benefits: enhancing healthcare delivery in Canada while providing African professionals with access to advanced training, better remuneration, and stable career prospects .
Over 15,000 healthcare professionals from Africa have successfully migrated to Canada in the past five years, with a steady annual increase of approximately 10% .
The Nigerian Nurse Success Story
A recent success story from Nigeria illustrates what is possible. A fresh Nigerian nursing graduate shared how she became a registered nurse in Canada in just one year after graduation .
Her steps:
- Created an initial application with CRNA (Alberta)
- Completed a course-by-course credential evaluation through World Education Services (WES)
- Wrote and passed the NCLEX
- Transferred her nursing license to Ontario, bypassing NNAS
- Secured her dream job in BC after strategic networking
Her message to other internationally educated nurses: “Your background is valid. Your dream is possible. Your ‘yes’ can come faster than you think” .
Work Permit Priority Processing
Canada has expanded priority processing for foreign workers in healthcare occupations deemed essential services .
Eligible Roles Include:
- Registered nurses and psychiatric nurses
- Nursing supervisors and nurse practitioners
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Specialists in clinical medicine, laboratory medicine, and surgery
- Pharmacists
- Medical laboratory technologists
- Medical radiation technologists
- Paramedics and licensed practical nurses
For Nigerian Healthcare Professionals
The policy reinforces Canada’s ongoing reliance on foreign-trained talent to sustain its healthcare system .
The expedited process applies to employer-specific work permits supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), Francophone Mobility permits, and certain International Experience Canada (IEC) categories .
Pathways to Permanent Residence
Express Entry – Healthcare Category
Canada’s Express Entry system now features category-based draws specifically for healthcare and social services occupations .
Eligible occupations include (NOC codes in brackets):
- Registered nurses and psychiatric nurses (31301)
- Nurse practitioners (31302)
- General practitioners and family physicians (31102)
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (31100)
- Pharmacists (31120)
- Dentists (31110)
- Physiotherapists (31202)
- Occupational therapists (31203)
Key Advantage: In 2024, the CRS cut-off for healthcare category draws ranged between 422-463, compared to 524-549 for general draws. This makes category-based draws significantly more accessible .
BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
BC has reserved the majority of its PNP nomination spots for healthcare professionals .
Health Authority Stream:
- For foreign-trained healthcare workers with a job offer from a BC public health employer
- Does not require prior Canadian work experience
- Can be applied through either Skills Immigration or Express Entry
Targeted Invitation Rounds:
- BC conducts regular draws specifically for priority healthcare occupations
- Healthcare workers are among the select groups continuing to receive invitations
Nigeria-Specific Pathways
According to the Nigeria PNP update for 2026, the best routes for African applicants include :
- BC Healthcare Professional category – fastest for African nurses and doctors
- Saskatchewan SINP Skilled Worker With Employment Offer – lowest threshold among big provinces
- Ontario Employer Job Offer streams – largest in absolute volume
Language and Credential Requirements
Language Testing
Even if English is your first language, you must take an approved English language test (IELTS or PTE) or French test (TEF Canada) .
Educational Credential Assessment
An ECA verifies that your nursing or medical qualifications meet Canadian standards. For Nigerian nurses, services like WES provide course-by-course credential evaluations .
Provincial Licensure
Upon arrival, you must obtain provincial licensure to practice. Each province has its own regulatory body, and registration involves credential verification and proof of language proficiency .
Your 2026 Action Plan
For African Healthcare Professionals:
- Identify your NOC code – Find the correct National Occupational Classification code for your profession
- Get your credentials assessed – Through WES, ICAS, or other recognized agencies, most internationally educated nurses begin with the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS), which can take up to a year . As an alternative, the IEE GlobalBridge™ evaluation offers faster, fully online processing for RNs and is accepted by multiple nursing boards across Canada and the US
- Take a language test – IELTS or PTE for English; TEF for French
- Create an Express Entry profile – Healthcare workers are prioritized in category-based draws
- Explore Provincial Nominee Programs – BC, Saskatchewan, and Ontario are actively recruiting healthcare workers
- Secure a job offer – Most PNP streams now require an employer-driven application
- Apply for a work permit – Priority processing is available for healthcare occupations
- Start working and build Canadian experience – This can lead to Canadian Experience Class eligibility
Key Takeaways
- Canada is fast-tracking healthcare workers from the US and Africa through streamlined licensing and priority work permit processing
- BC has introduced major reforms eliminating unnecessary Canadian experience requirements
- Express Entry healthcare category draws have much lower CRS cut-offs than general draws
- African healthcare professionals are increasingly targeted, with over 15,000 successfully migrating in the past five years
- Nigerian nurses can become Canadian RNs within one year of graduation
- PNP allocations have been cut in 2026, making employer-driven streams the primary pathway
Ready to make the move? Free support and guidance is available from Health Match BC, the province’s official health workforce recruitment organization. Visit BC Health Careers to explore current openings and register for help.