From Nigeria to Canada: One Doctor's Journey and the New Immigration Pathways That Can Make It Possible for You
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
Canada is actively recruiting internationally trained physicians, and the doors have never been more open. But behind every policy announcement is a real person who navigated the process, faced the uncertainty, and built a life on the other side. We recently sat down with one of those people.
Watch Our Live Replay
We recently hosted a live conversation with Dr. Amamasi, a medical doctor who moved from Nigeria and is now actively practicing medicine in Canada all within three years. But what makes her story particularly special is how it started.
Dr. Amamasi's journey to Canada began not as a physician, but as a spouse. We worked with her husband to secure a study permit to Canada, and from there, we worked closely with Dr. Amamasi to help her get settled. We assisted her in obtaining a visitor visa, which was subsequently converted to a work permit, giving her the legal foundation to begin building her life here. From that starting point, she navigated the credential recognition and licensing process, secured employment as a physician, and within three years of arriving in Canada, she was practicing medicine.
Her story is a powerful reminder that the path to Canada is rarely one-size-fits-all and that the right support at each stage makes all the difference. From a study permit for her spouse, to her own visa and work permit, to permanent residence our team was there every step of the way.
She joined us on a Live to share that journey in her own words
If you're an internationally trained physician wondering whether Canada is realistic for you, this conversation is worth your time.
What Canada Has Done to Make This Easier
The federal government has introduced three significant changes that make this an especially important moment for internationally trained doctors to act:
A brand-new Express Entry category launched in 2026 specifically for physicians who have at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience in the last three years. This means doctors are being invited to apply for permanent residence based on their profession, not just their CRS score.
5,000 dedicated federal immigration spaces have been reserved through the Provincial Nominee Program for medical doctors with job offers or letters of support. These are spaces set aside exclusively for physicians, separate from the general PNP allocation.
Once nominated by a province, doctors get a work permit processed in 14 days, meaning you can be working in Canada while your permanent residence application is still in progress.
The Two Main Scenarios: Which One Are You?
Scenario 1: You Already Have Canadian Work Experience as a Doctor
If you have been working as a licensed physician in Canada for at least one year in the last three years, you are in the strongest position right now.
Your primary pathways are:
Express Entry (Physician Category): You can enter the pool and be selected through category based rounds designed specifically for doctors. You do not need a job offer to apply. You just need to be eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs (Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades) and meet the one-year Canadian work experience requirement.
Provincial Nominee Program: If you have a job or a letter of support from a province or territory, you can be nominated through one of the 5,000 reserved spaces. Once nominated, you get the 14-day expedited work permit and can then apply for permanent residence.
Family members — your spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, and dependent grandchildren can be included in either application.
Scenario 2: You Are Outside Canada (or Don't Have Canadian Medical Experience Yet)
This is where most internationally trained doctors start, and there are real pathways available, but the sequencing matters.
Before any immigration application can move forward, two steps must happen first: your foreign credentials must be assessed, and you must obtain a provincial or territorial medical licence. Both take time, so starting early is critical.
Once those are in place, your main options are:
Express Entry: Even without Canadian experience, if you have international medical work experience and are eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you can create an Express Entry profile and receive invitations through general or physician-specific rounds.
Provincial Nominee Program:: If you can secure a job offer or letter of support from a Canadian employer or health authority, you can be nominated through the dedicated physician spaces and receive the 14-day work permit while your PR application is processed.
Atlantic Immigration Program: If you have experience or post-secondary credentials from Atlantic Canada, and can get a job offer from a designated employer in that region, this is a strong option with a clear pathway to permanent residence.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot: For doctors willing to practice in smaller, rural communities, this pilot offers a pathway if you have at least one year of medical work experience in the last three years and a job offer from a designated rural employer.
Francophone Community Immigration Pilot: If you are a French-speaking physician interested in settling in a Francophone community outside Quebec, this program is worth exploring.
The Journey Our Guest Made and What It Teaches Us
The doctor we spoke with on our Webinar Live didn't have everything figured out when she started. What she had was a clear goal, the right guidance at the right time, and a willingness to work through each step methodically.
She arrived, completed the licensing process, secured employment, and within three years of leaving Nigeria she was practicing medicine in Canada. Her story isn't an outlier. It's a blueprint.
Ready to Map Out Your Own Pathway?
Every doctor's situation is different. Your country of training, your current work situation, your province of interest, and your family circumstances all affect which pathway makes the most sense and in what order to pursue the steps.
That's where we come in. As Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants, we work with internationally trained healthcare professionals to assess their eligibility, build a realistic strategy, and manage the application process from start to finish.
Whether you're already in Canada on a work permit, still practicing abroad, or somewhere in the middle of the credential process, let's talk about where you are and what's possible.
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