Dear Kim

“Would changing how doctors in Canada are licensed help reduce the physician shortage?”

Will these changes be reflected in how nurses in Canada are licensed?

What is the state of affairs for International Medical Graduates in Ontario?

“The shift vacancy rate at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital emergency department in northwestern Ontario has dropped slightly from 44 per cent in June to 41 per cent at the start of August, CEO Ray Racette says.”

Check out this article.

“Ontario’s health minister has sent directives to the College of Nurses of Ontario (#CNO) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario directing them to make every effort to register internationally trained professionals as quickly as possible.”

“A 2020 report from Ontario’s fairness commissioner showed that 14,633 internationally educated nurses were actively pursuing a licence through the College of Nurses of Ontario. That same year, just over 2,000 international applicants became fully registered members.

The nurses’ college has recently taken steps to speed up the process, including changes to language proficiency requirements and a partnership with the province to create more supervised practice opportunities, a spokeswoman has said.

That program has seen 762 nurses added to the hospital system since the start of the pandemic, the government says.

The college has registered a record number of nurses this year, including more international nurses than in previous years, with 4,728 registrations by the beginning of August, though that number doesn’t indicate how many of those nurses are now working in Ontario.

The college also says it’s looking at ways to streamline the process. In order to practice in Ontario, internationally educated nurses have to show that they have recent experience, pass exams, and demonstrate English or French proficiency.”

Read the Article

Hope is finally on the horizon for Internationally Educated Nurses, living in Canada, seeking gainful employment in Canada.

While many of us are negatively impacted by COVID there have been many positive changes for Internationally Educated Nurses living across Canada seeking licensure to practice as Practical and Registered Nurses.

Back in January 2021 major changes happened with the delivery of the CELBAN, the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses. (This is one of two English Exams required of IENs before they can become licensed health professionals in Canada.)