Working in Canada as an Internationally Educated Healthcare Professional
September 14, 2026
Kusina (Tagalog for “kitchen”) is a community kitchen that brings community members together for shared meals, legal education, information and referrals, and social support services. It creates a welcoming, trusted space where community members can access practical information, connect with resources, and build community.
The following resource is adapted from information presented during a past Kusina session and is accurate as of the above date.
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Moving to Canada with training and experience in healthcare can open new opportunities, but getting your qualifications recognized and working in your profession can be a complicated process.
If you were educated or trained outside Canada and want to work in healthcare here, you are an internationally educated health professional (IEHP). This includes professionals such as nurses, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, physiotherapists, medical laboratory technologists and other healthcare workers.
The following resource provides a simplified overview of some of the options available to IEHPs looking to work in Canada. Licensing, immigration and employment requirements may change.
Always confirm current requirements with the relevant regulatory body or government agency before making decisions or paying for services.
Why can it be difficult to find work in your healthcare profession?
Many health professions in Canada are regulated professions. This means you generally need to be registered with the appropriate regulatory body and obtain a licence before you can practice. Canada does not have one single licensing process for all healthcare professionals.
Your international education, training and work experience may need to be assessed to determine whether they meet Canadian requirements. Depending on your profession, you may also need to:
Provide documents from schools, employers or licensing bodies
Demonstrate English-language proficiency
Complete additional education or training
Take a qualifying or licensing examination
Complete a period of supervised practice or other assessment
Meet provincial registration requirements
Pay application, assessment, examination or licensing fees
The exact process depends on your profession and the province where you want to work.
The Government of Canada provides a Foreign Credential Recognition Tool to help internationally trained professionals identify whether their occupation is regulated and find the appropriate regulatory authority. To access the tool and for more information on foreign credential recognition in Canada, click here
Important note: A credential assessment is not the same as a professional licence. Having your education assessed does not automatically mean you are licensed to practice.
For example, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) may be used for immigration purposes, but it does not replace the licensing process for a regulated health profession. You will still need to meet the requirements of the regulatory body responsible for your profession.
Major Profession Pathways
Your first step should be finding out whether your profession is regulated and identifying the organization responsible for licensing it in the province where you plan to work.
Before paying for an assessment, course or exam, check the requirements of your regulatory body first. Requirements can change, and the process for a nurse, physician, pharmacist, dentist or other health professional can be very different.
For International Medical Graduates (IMGs) / Physicians:
Regulatory Body: College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC).
Licenses under CPSBC:
Provisional class: permits a physician to practise medicine with limits and conditions granted by CPSBC.
Clinical observer class: for international medical graduates who want to participate in an educational experience or Canadian medical school graduates who want to enter a postgraduate training program in British Columbia.
Assessment class: for international medical graduates whose postgraduate training was not obtained in a jurisdiction acceptable to the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
Associate physician class: for physicians who were not eligible for full or provisional licensure in BC. They may be eligible to apply for restricted licensure as associate physicians under the direction and supervision of attending physicians in acute care and community primary care settings.
Visiting physician class: a short-term licence for up to six months for physicians from other jurisdictions, which allows them to provide limited medical care in a specific circumstance.
The BC Physician Integration Program (BC-PIP) provides IMGs with a provisional license with a comprehensive introduction to the provincial health-care system, providing orientation, mentorship, and relocation reimbursements up to $23,500.
Associate Physicians are not eligible to participate in BC-PIP but can enroll in any of the following online modules:
Billing in BC: Basics for Family Medicine/ Specialty Medicine
Opioid Prescribing in the Context of Toxic Drug Supply: Navigating Risks and Ensuring Patient Safety
Continuous Learning & Practice Improvement for Family Physicians/ Specialists
For Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs):
Regulatory Body: British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
All nurses and midwives must have current practicing registration with BCCNM in order to practice in BC.
Designations under BCCNM:
Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
Registered nurse (RN)
Nurse practitioner (NP)
Registered psychiatric nurse (RPN)
Midwife
IENs start by applying through Inspire Global Assessments to complete credential, language, and competency reviews.
Applicants are more likely to be successful in their application if they have:
completed your nursing education program within the last 10 years; and/or
had substantial practice experience as a nurse in the last 10 years.
If you don't meet this criteria, you may want to consider completing a recognized re-entry, bridging, or other nursing education program and apply for licensure after you complete the program.
For dentists, pharmacists & other professionals:
Dentists, denturists, and dental assistants, hygienists, technicians, and therapists apply for provincial licensure through the BC College of Oral Health Professionals (BCCOHP).
Pharmacists must be licensed under the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC).
Health Care Assistants (HCAs) must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. For more information on how to register and available financial support, click here.
What if I can't work in my profession yet?
You may have options while completing the licensing process.
Depending on your profession, experience and immigration or work status, you may be able to explore:
Related health-care occupations
Bridging or upgrading programs
Supervised practice opportunities
Canadian work-experience programs
Mentorship and employment programs for internationally educated professionals
Other roles within the health-care system
However, do not assume that a job with a similar title allows you to perform the same duties as a licensed professional. Check the rules for your occupation and province.
Government Supports
Health Match BC is the official, free recruitment and navigation service funded by the Government of BC. The Health Match BC Navigation Team assists candidates through credential evaluation, licensing steps, immigration pathways, and job placement with public health employers.
There may also be financial assistance available. The Government of Canada provides Foreign Credential Recognition Loans of up to $30,000 to eligible professionals to help cover costs such as licensing fees, qualifying exams, education and training.
Community & Bridging Programs
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’s Active Career Connect and Engagement Project for Internationally Educated Health Professionals (ACCEP-IEHP) supports both pre-arrival and landed IEHPs with career planning, workshops, and subsidized work placements.
The Progressive Inter-Cultural Community Services Society’s Foreign Credentials Recognition for Internationally Educated Health Professionals (FCR IEHP) program offers wage subsidies and local Canadian healthcare work experience for nurses, doctors, and clinical counsellors in BC, Alberta and Ontario.
Additional Resources
Government of Canada — Foreign Credential Recognition
Government of British Columbia — Resources for internationally trained professionals
Vancouver Coastal Health — How to apply as an international or out of province applicant
Fraser Health — Internationally Educated Allied Health Professionals
Disclaimer: This resource provides general legal information only and is not legal advice. Laws and policies may change. If you need advice about your specific situation, contact a legal advocate, lawyer, or community legal clinic.
