Barriers to international physician recruitment in Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

A healthcare staffing crisis has been brewing in Canada since 1993. Recently worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing immigration, it has severely impacted rural and remote areas of the country like the province of Nova Scotia. Researchers have considered international physician recruitment as a long-term solution, but it comes with its own challenges. In addition to an extensive literature search, qualitative interviews were conducted with various representatives from the Nova Scotia health ecosystem as part of this article. Identifying challenges to international physician recruitment from different perspectives, recommendations include bringing legislative and/or policy changes to increase candidate seats and developing new pathways to bring international medical graduates to Nova Scotia from other countries. The article includes interview responses from official authorities involved in physician recruitment, author recommendations to remove barriers to international physician recruitment, and recruitment and retention initiatives currently being implemented in the province.