Ontario removes another barrier for internationally trained physicians

As of January 1, 2026, self-employed physicians under specific National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes are eligible to apply for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).  

The update comes alongside a broader change to Canada’s PNP. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently announced that it is adding 5,000 spaces to PNPs in addition to the amount allocated in the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. IRCC is targeting to admit 91,500 new permanent residents through the PNP by the end of 2026.

Key Takeaways 

• Eligible self-employed physicians may apply for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream of OINP starting January 1 
• Self-employed physicians do not need a job offer to apply 
• IRCC has increased PNP spaces and may offer faster work permit processing for eligible candidates 
• Physicians with Postgraduate licenses are no longer eligible to apply  

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream, physicians must apply under one these National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes:

• NOC 31100 – Specialist in clinical laboratory medicine
• NOC 31101 – Specialists in surgery
• NOC 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians

Applicants must also:

• Have an OHIP billing number
• Be members in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).
• Have a provisional certificate of registration.

A Postgraduate License is no Longer Eligible

Other changes to the program include removing eligibility for self-employed physicians with a postgraduate license.

According to the CPSO a postgraduate license is for those who have a medical degree from an “acceptable” international medical school (or an accredited Canadian or US medical school) and are undertaking postgraduate medical training at an Ontario medical school.

CPSO says those who have this certificate can practice medicine, but they are not permitted to charge a fee for their services, which means they can’t set up their own OHIP billing number.

Potential PNP applicants need to complete any postgraduate medical training in Ontario and obtain a provisional certificate of registration in Ontario before they apply to OINP.

However, those who hold a postgraduate education license may still be eligible to apply if they have a valid job offer from an Ontario employer.

Any physician who is eligible for PNP should contact OINP to submit their Express of Interest (EOI).

More PNP Spaces for Physicians

IRCC has allocated an additional 5,000 spaces to PNPs in part because foreign credential recognition is the responsibility of provincial governments. They will be better able to assess a candidate’s training and education to check for a good fit.

However, because most healthcare professions are licensed, it can take a long time for an applicant to be provincially recognised.

Expedited Work Permit Processing

Getting nominated by OINP has its advantages. Successful applicants may benefit from 14-day application processing for a work permit from IRCC if they submit a provincial letter of nomination with their permanent residence application. The work permit allows eligible applicants to work in Canada while IRCC processes their permanent residence application, which can take up to six months.

New Express Entry Category for Physicians

OINP is among the first PNPs to adjust applicant requirements for physicians to align with recent changes to Express Entry. IRCC has introduced a new Express Entry category for international doctors with at least one year of Canadian work experience gained within the past three years. Applicants must already be working in Canada within the healthcare system.

There has not been a category-based selection draw for these candidates yet, but draws are expected to begin in “early 2026.”

This is the fifth eligible employment sector under category-based selection. Other employment categories include:

• Healthcare and social services occupations
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
• Trade occupations
• Agriculture and agri-food occupations
• Education occupations

Canada’s Critical Shortage of Doctors

IRCC estimates that roughly 5.7 million (17%) of Canadian adults and 765,000 (11%) of children and youth don’t have a regular health care provider.

Ontario is Canada’s most populous province and is no exception to the shortage. The Ontario Medical Association found that “More than 2.5 million Ontarians currently do not have access to a family physician.” Further, they note that a survey of family doctors in Ontario shows 52% are considering retirement or planning to retire in the next five years.

The lack of family physicians means that patients can miss early diagnosis of serious health issues, and that hospital Emergency Rooms are overwhelmed with non-critical or non-urgent patients.

The shortage is especially concerning due to Canada’s aging population. A 2024 report from Statistics Canada estimates that by 2030, seniors (those 65 and above) could represent from 21.4% to 23.4% of the total population.

Immigration is responsible for almost 100% of Canada’s labour force growth. Without a plan to target internationally trained doctors and other healthcare professionals, the strain on a healthcare system already stretched thin will only worsen.

If you want to stay in the loop on further immigration updates, you can join the Moving2Canada community for updates as programs change.