Ontario is tweaking its registration rules for health-care professionals to make it easier to poach nurses from the United States and allow them to begin practising in the province sooner.
On Thursday, the Ford government announced it would allow nurses and board-certified physicians to move to Ontario from the United States and begin working immediately while they apply to have their credentials recognized.
According to a news release from the government, U.S.-licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and registered practical nurses can work for six months while transferring their qualifications and registering.
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“By cutting the red tape that is delaying highly trained U.S.-licensed doctors and nurses from being able to live and work in Ontario, we are making bold strides to ensure Ontario patients receive timely and accessible care,” Health Minister Sylvia Jones said.
“These changes build on our government’s historic action to reduce labour mobility barriers for health-care professionals within Canada, and will now make it faster and easier for American physicians and nurses to care for Ontario patients.”
The new registration rules for U.S.-based nurses and physicians mirror changes the province previously brought in for health-care professionals from other parts of Canada. They were first introduced in 2023 and set to be expanded to more professions as part of recent legislation.
The move would not exempt nurses or physicians from other work permit or immigration laws, but would make it easier to begin working in their field once they move to Ontario.
The move comes as the Ford government continues its efforts to onshore Canadian products and supply chains as part of Canada’s ongoing trade war with the United States.
The province is looking to eliminate trade barriers with other parts of the country, has banned the sale of U.S alcohol and introduced a domestic manufacturing tax credit.
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