Moving to Canada to work as a doctor from Nigeria is not as simple as many think. The process is capital intensive and requires a ton of verifications and certifications. You will also need to pass the qualifying exam before you can practise medicine in Canada. With the right guide and resources, this process will be more straightforward for you.
We have put this guide together to show you how to migrate to Canada to work as a doctor from Nigerian. We will also guide you through the available immigation pathways and how you can successfully migrate to Canada to work as a medical doctor from Nigeria.
READ: Travelling to Canada For the First Time? Things You Should Know!
Canadian Immigration Pathways for Doctors
There are two common programs designed for medical doctors seeking to relocate to Canada from Nigeria. They are the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) and the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
The Province of British Columbia currently has a high demand for medical doctors. So, it created a pathway for foreign doctors to move to Canada to practise medicine. The healthcare professional category of the BC Provincial Nominee Program, Skills Immigration (SI), helps specialists, doctors, nurses, and professional health care personnel to work in British Columbia.
This program also offers doctors permanent residency. However, you can get a permanent residence a lot quicker if the program body sees that you are eligible for the Express Entry BC – Healthcare Professional.
If you qualify, it is easier for you to find a job in the medical field through Health Match BC. To show that you qualify for the Health Match BC, it is often required that you take an eligibility test.
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
If your Canadian immigration doesn’t work through the BC Provincial Nominee Program, you can go through the SINP program.
To participate in the SINP program, you will need to meet the general Canadian immigration requirements and the SINP requirements. The Canadian immigration policy requires you to have both the educational and professional qualifications to work in Canada.
The SINP criteria include;
A valid work permit from the official Canadian imnigration body, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (ICRC).
Evidence that you have worked as a doctor in Saskatchewan for at least six months
A full-time job offer from a hospital in Saskatchewan
Valid approval letter from the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program (SINP)
READ: How to Migrate to Canada with a Study Visa
How to Migrate To Canada To Work As a Doctor from Nigeria
Ensuring that you are qualified for any or both of the above programs discussed above is only the first step to securing a job as a medical doctor in Canada. There are other requirements that you need to meet. Once you are able to meet these requirements, you will be closer to achieving your dreams to work as a doctor in Canada.
Here are the requirements to work as a doctor in Canada
1. Upload Recognized Medical Qualification
The first thing you want to do before processing your Canadian immigration is to ensure that your medical certificate is recognized by the appointed Canadian association. How do you do that?
Visit the World Directory of Medical Schools. You will be directed to a page where you will be asked to fill a form. Some of the entries on the form include the country you got your qualification from, the name of your university, etc. Your university will show up in the results if it is a recognized medical institution.
2. Get Approved By The Medical Council of Canada (MCC)
To practice as a medical doctor in Canada, you will need a license to practise from the Medical Council of Canada, MCC. You need to write and pass the two parts of the MCC Qualifying Examinations (MCCQE) before you can get the MCC license.
You will also need to provide evidence that you have at least 12 months of postgraduate medical practice. The 12-month housemanship program that Nigerian doctors take after their medical degree will suffice in this regard.
About the MCCQE, please note that you can take part 1 of the exam wherever you are. However, you will need to travel to Canada to take part two of the exam.
Meanwhile, after passing both parts of the MCCQE exams, you will need to get approval from the Medical Regulatory Authorities in the province you intend applying to.
See a list of medical authorities in Canada and their contact details in the table below:
| Province | Medical Regulatory Authority | Contact Details |
| Alberta | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta | 780-423-4764 |
| British Columbia | College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia | 1-800-461-3008 |
| Manitoba | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba | (877) 74-4344 or cpsm@cpsm.mb.ca |
| New Brunswick | College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick | (506) 849-5050 or 1-800-667-4641 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland & Labrador | (67) 767-9000 |
| Northwest Territories | Government of the Northwest Territories | (67) 767-9000 |
| Nunavut | Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services Medical Registration Committee | 1-877-212-6438 or info@gov.nu.ca |
| Ontario | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario | +1 800-268-7096 or feedback@cpso.on.ca |
| Prince Edward Island | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island | (902) 566 – 3861 |
| Quebec | College des medecins du Quebec | 1 888 MEDICIN (633-3246) or info@cmq.org |
| Saskatchewan | College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan | (306) 244-7355 or cpssreg@cps.sk.ca |
| Yukon | Yukon Medical Council | (867) 667.3774 or ymc@gov.yk.ca |
3. Pay Fees to Confirm Your Medical Degree By The MCC
After the MCC qualifying exams, you will need to pay some amount of money to the MCC to confirm your medical degree. Although there is no fixed sum, we have been able to put together a rough estimation to guide your budget.
- Translation fee per page: CAD$181
- ECA report: CAD$137
- Degree Verification: CAD$215
- Application fee for MCCQE: CAD$2,365
- MCCQE Part 1: CAD$1,598
- MCCQE Part 2: CAD$3,340
READ: Work Opportunities for International Students in Canada
4. Submit And Save Your Documents
This stage of the Canadian immigration process can be a little complex, whether or not you have external assistance. The good thing, however, is that some organizations are willing to lift this burden off you by helping you to submit and save your documents.
A popular example is physicianapply.ca. Registering on physicianapply.ca not only qualifies you to get assisted in submitting and storing your documents. It also shows you the process to becoming a practicing medical doctor in Canada, plus how to get the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (MCC).
5. Provide Proof Of Language Proficiency
Because English and French are the common languages of communication in Canada, you will need to provide proof that you are proficient in one of them. You will be required to take the IELTS to demonstrate English Language proficiency and Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF) for French proficiency. You will be tested in the following areas – speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
6. Provide Proof Of Work Experience
During your application process, you will be asked to show proof that you have relevant work experience as a doctor in Nigeria. Chances are that you will have to submit a letter of employment from your past employer. Whatever you intend to submit as proof, ensure that it is written on the company’s letterhead paper and contains the following:
- The number of hours you worked.
- The work responsibilities you were given.
- NOC (National Occupational Classification) title.
- Your current salary.
- The contact details of your employer.
Conclusion
If you have gone through this article, then you have just learnt how to migrate to Canada to work as a doctor from Nigeria. The steps in this article are not designed for a specific group of people. If you intend to work as a medical doctor in Canada from Nigeria, go ahead and hit the ball rolling.
Finally, you can also check out other provinces in Canada and take the necessary steps if the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) and the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) do not sound very appealing to you.