Canada expands fast track to Ontario licensing for internationally trained physicians
Canada's federal government has committed funds to advance 200 internationally trained physicians (ITPs) along a fast track to Ontario licensing.
On October 7, 2026, Health Canada announced $20 million in funding to support expansion of Practice Ready Ontario (PRO), which allows ITPs to become licensed to practise family medicine through completing a 12-week clinical field assessment in place of the traditional two-year residency.
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The funding will also include a dedicated stream for French-speaking ITPs, according to Health Canada's press release.
Start to finish, an experienced ITP can become licensed through PRO in under a year, compared to a typical timeline of three to five years for other routes to becoming licensed to practise family medicine.
To qualify for PRO, an ITP must be a Canadian permanent resident or citizen, and must meet the minimum requirements for education, work experience, and language proficiency, as described on the program’s official website, maintained by the Touchstone Institute.
Touchstone administers PRO in collaboration with the Ontario government and with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the official licensing body for all Ontario physicians.
ITPs who become licensed through PRO must commit to practising in Ontario by signing a three-year return of service agreement (RSO).
During the period of the RSO, they are licensed under supervised practice.
An ITP becomes fully licensed for independent practice after completing their RSO and passing the CPSO’s Certification Examination in Family Medicine (CFPC).
Health Canada says the program will serve “to improve access to primary care in underserved northern and rural regions, as well as Francophone communities in Ontario” and intends that the funds will support “the creation of 50 additional positions per year, over four years,” with the objective of having all participants able to practise in Ontario by 2028–2029.
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In the same press release, the government announced $11 million in funding toward five other projects across Canada intended to support licensing for ITPs as well as for internationally educated nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists.
The Oct. 7 announcement is the latest development in an ongoing program involving the collaboration between the federal and provincial governments to ease labour shortages by removing barriers to the practice of regulated professions throughout Canada, and specifically, to support the health care system with selective recruitment of internationally trained front-line medical professionals.
As of the time of writing, the federal government has invited 891 physicians to apply for permanent residence, under a new dedicated pathway for physicians with Canadian work experience launched in 2026.
On January 1, 2026, new Ontario legislation came into force allowing physicians, surgeons, and nurses licensed in other provinces to obtain authorization to practise in Ontario in as little as two business days after the validation of their credentials. Workers in 20 other regulated healthcare professions can obtain authorization in as little as 10 days.
In December 2025, Canada’s immigration department announced a suite of measures
- Creating the dedicated federal permanent residence pathway for physicians with Canadian work experience;
- Allocating an additional 5,000 spaces for physicians under provincial and territorial permanent residence pathways; and
- Providing 14-day work permit processing for physicians nominated by a province or territory.
Most regulated professions, including those in healthcare, law, engineering, and the majority of the skilled trades, are regulated in Canada at the provincial level.
Comparatively few private-sector professions have compulsory licensing that is regulated nation-wide by the federal government: for example, pilots, aircraft mechanics, and air traffic controllers.
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