Toronto: Canada has introduced new immigration opportunities aimed at making the pathway to permanent residency easier for international medical doctors, including eligible Pakistani doctors, in 2026.
Under Canada’s immigration system, Pakistani doctors can seek permanent residency through programs such as Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and certain regional immigration pathways, depending on their qualifications and professional experience.
However, obtaining permanent residency or a work permit does not automatically allow a doctor to practise medicine in Canada. Doctors must have their foreign medical degrees and credentials assessed and obtain a licence from the relevant provincial or territorial medical regulatory authority.
In 2026, Canada has also introduced a new Express Entry category for medical doctors, under which eligible candidates may receive invitations to apply for permanent residency.
To qualify under this category, applicants must be eligible for one of the three programs managed under Express Entry and must have at least one year of full-time work experience as a doctor in Canada within the previous three years.
Canada has also allocated up to 5,000 federal immigration spaces under the Provincial Nominee Program for the nomination of medical doctors.
Doctors who have employment in a Canadian province or territory, a confirmed job offer, or a letter of support from a relevant organisation may be able to benefit from this pathway.
Pakistani doctors without Canadian medical work experience can also explore opportunities through the Provincial Nominee Program, Express Entry, the Atlantic Immigration Program, and certain rural and Francophone community immigration programs.
Before applying, doctors must meet the licensing requirements of the relevant province, have their medical qualifications and professional experience verified, complete any required examinations, and meet English or French language requirements.
Experts advise doctors planning to move to Canada to treat immigration and medical licensing as two separate processes, as immigration approval does not automatically grant a licence to practise medicine.
Canadian authorities have also warned doctors not to pay unauthorised agents in exchange for job offers, medical licences, or letters of support.
