News Release
2005-29
April 25, 2005
For immediate release
Health Minister Dosanjh announces $75
million initiative to bring more internationally educated
professionals into health care system
VANCOUVER - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh
today announced a $75 million federal initiative that is
expected to assist more than 2,000 internationally educated
health care professionals to put their skills to work in
Canada's health care system.
"The whole country benefits when immigrants and
internationally educated Canadians are able to make full use
of their knowledge and experience," said Minister Dosanjh.
"This initiative will strengthen our health system by helping
to increase the supply of health care professionals, which
will improve access to quality health care and reduce wait
times."
The $75 million, which was included in Budget 2005, will be
provided over five years. During this period, it is estimated
the funding will assist in the assessment and integration into
the workforce of up to 1,000 physicians, 800 nurses and 500
other regulated health care professionals. The numbers will
vary, however, according to the priorities of provincial and
territorial governments.
"This fulfils the Government of Canada's commitment at the
First Ministers Meeting last September to accelerate and
expand the assessment and integration of internationally
educated health care professionals," said Minister Dosanjh.
"This complements a series of other measures we are taking in
collaboration with provinces and territories and the health
care community to provide cities and rural areas across this
country with the health care workers they need."
Strengthening the health care workforce is a key objective
of the Ten-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care, which all
First Ministers signed in September 2004. The Government of
Canada is supporting the training and hiring of more health
care professionals through the $5.5-billion Wait Times
Reduction Fund. In addition, the Pan-Canadian Health Human
Resource Strategy provides $20 million per year to improve
health care workforce planning, promote the use of
interdisciplinary health care teams and increase recruitment
and retention of needed health care professionals.
Minister Dosanjh also noted that today's $75 million
announcement is part of a wider Internationally Trained
Workers Initiative, involving 14 federal departments and
agencies.
"The Initiative will improve the integration of immigrants
and internationally trained Canadians into the labour force so
they can contribute their full potential to Canada and share
in its prosperity," said Minister Dosanjh.
The $75 million initiative on internationally educated
health care graduates will build on work that is already
underway. As part of that work, which received $8.5 million in
earlier funding from the Government of Canada, Minister
Dosanjh today announced:
- The launch of a national website that will help
international medical graduates prepare to become licensed
to practice in Canada. The Association of International
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, with funding of $126,356
from Health Canada, took the lead in preparing the online
Canadian Information Centre for International Medical
Graduates (www.IMG-Canada.ca). The site is a central point
of information for international medical graduates,
providing comprehensive information on the Canadian health
care system and medical licensure requirements, education
and training services in different provinces and
territories. It also provides information on alternative
health care careers. The Website will enable international
medical graduates to assess their options and opportunities
even before they come to Canada and will be linked to
Citizenship and Immigration's "Going to Canada" immigration
portal. Minister Dosanjh officially launched the site Monday
with Dr. Dale Dauphinee, executive director of the Medical
Council of Canada.
- A National Credential Verification Agency will be
established by the Medical Council of Canada to provide a
streamlined process for verifying the credentials of
international medical graduates. After this verification,
these graduates can then take an evaluation exam or other
steps toward becoming licensed to practice in Canada. The
single-source verification service will prevent these
graduates from having to get their credentials verified in
each province or territory in which they seek licensure.
This $1.86 million project is funded by Human Resources and
Skills Development Canada.
- The Medical Council of Canada will make its evaluation
exam more readily accessible to international medical
graduates in a $1.34 million project funded by Human
Resources and Skills Development Canada. This exam is the
first stage in the licensing process for international
medical graduates in Canada. The exam will be put into an
electronic format to enhance its availability.
- The Canadian Post M.D. Education Registry is receiving
$834,625 from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
to create a pan-Canadian database with information about
international medical graduates that will improve planning
for the assessment, training and integration of these
graduates.
Internationally trained workers initiative
Speaking Notes for The Hon. Ujjal Dosanjh Minister of Health
at an announcement regarding the Internationally Trained
Workers Initiative
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Canadian Heritage
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Media Enquiries:
Media Relations
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983
Public Enquiries:
(613) 957-2991
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