Canada Publishes 1 Way Through Which Foreign Medical Doctors Can Get Work Permit in 14 Days

Canada Publishes 1 Way Through Which Foreign Medical Doctors Can Get Work Permit in 14 Days

  • The Canadian government has published a dedicated immigration pathway specifically designed for medical doctors seeking to work in the country
  • Medical doctors nominated by a Canadian province or territory qualify for a work permit processed within 14 days under the new arrangement
  • The fast-tracked permit allows doctors to begin working in Canada while their permanent residence application is still being processed

The Canadian government has outlined a fast-track route that allows foreign medical doctors to obtain a work permit within 14 days, offering a significant advantage to healthcare professionals looking to relocate to Canada.

According to details published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the key requirement is a nomination from a Canadian province or territory. Doctors who secure that provincial or territorial nomination become eligible for the expedited work permit, which is processed in as little as 14 days.

Canada shares how foreign medical doctors can get work permit
Canada shares how foreign medical doctors can get work permits within 14 days. Photo credit: Getty Images
Source: UGC

How Canada's 14-day work permit works

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The arrangement, according to the Canadian government, is designed to bridge the gap between arriving in Canada and receiving permanent residence.

Rather than waiting through the often lengthy immigration process before they can start practising, nominated doctors can enter the workforce almost immediately. The work permit allows them to take up employment while their permanent residence application continues through the system.

This pathway is part of a broader dedicated immigration programme Canada operates for medical doctors, recognising the country's ongoing demand for healthcare professionals across its provinces and territories.

Canada: What Nigerian doctors need to know

For Nigerian doctors considering the Japa route to Canada, provincial or territorial nomination is the critical first step. Each province and territory runs its own nomination streams, with specific eligibility criteria that applicants must meet before a nomination can be granted.

Once nominated, the 14-day work permit processing timeline means that qualified doctors could find themselves working in Canadian healthcare facilities within weeks rather than months, making Canada's immigration offer to medical professionals one of the most competitive in the world for that category.

Read also

Canada extends open work permit deadline for foreigners who applied for permanent residency

Simlarly, Canada's immigration authority, IRCC, shared key steps skilled professionals need to take before they can apply for permanent residence.

Canda: Requirements to qualify for work visa

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Canada extended the open work permit application deadline to December 31, 2026, for certain permanent residence applicants.

The extension targets foreigners who applied under the 2021 temporary resident-to-permanent resident pathway and are still awaiting a decision.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Oluwadara Adebisi avatar

Oluwadara Adebisi (Human Interest Editor) Adebisi Oluwadara is a Human Interest Editor who joined Legit.ng in January 2026. He has over seven years of experience in press release writing and journalism. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology. However, he was mentored in journalism and became a certified journalist after completing the Google News Initiative courses in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation. He can be reached at oluwadara.adebisi@corp.legit.ng