Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHP)
Immigrants represent roughly one‑quarter of Canada’s health and social assistance sector, while many internationally educated professionals remain underemployed. WES collaborates with IEHPs and partners to drive policy solutions that support fair licensure and commensurate employment.
Towards a Strategy for IEHP Integration
IEHPs in Canada continue to face systemic barriers to registration and professional re-entry. WES is calling for a comprehensive, data-driven health human resource strategy to support the integration of IEHPs in Canada, working with IEHPs and partners across the country to build the base of evidence, recommend policy and programmatic interventions, and strengthen the collaboration necessary to drive long-term, sustainable change.
Featured Resources:
- (WES) WES submission to the Standing Committee on Health about the Impact of Immigration Policy on Healthcare and Barriers to Integrating Internationally Trained Professionals
- (WES & CERC) Globally Trained Local Talent: Opening pathways for internationally educated professionals to strengthen Ontario’s health care system
- (N4) “A Missing Part of Me:” A Pan-Canadian Report on the Licensure of Internationally Educated Health Professionals
Internationally Educated Nurses
At a time of critical health workforce challenges, WES is working alongside key stakeholders to advance initiatives that support internationally educated nurses (IENs) who are seeking professional growth and mobility. WES is calling for system-wide changes that enable best practices to be applied, scaled, and harmonized across Canada. This includes promoting registration modernization initiatives, scaling up career laddering and bridging programs, supporting improvements to information access and system navigation, and encouraging a focus on better data collection and linkages.
Featured Resources:
Internationally Trained Physicians
The skills and experience of internationally trained physicians (ITPs) are underutilized at a time of growing demands on primary care. While recent years have seen positive reforms, including an expansion of Practice-Ready Assessment (PRA) positions nationwide, opportunities for ITPs to retain recent clinical experience and access Canadian residency and postgraduate training remain limited. WES continues to engage with partners at provincial and federal levels to call for an expansion of equitable pathways to licensure and commensurate employment.
Featured Resources:
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