By admin (August 17, 2024)

Incentives for Skilled Healthcare Immigrants Offered by Four Provinces

Canada seeks to integrate highly qualified workers in its labor force to increase its economy and workforce continually. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is acting on these fundamental deficiencies, like those in health care. As such, many provinces are now providing monetary and other incentives for health professionals to practice in their jurisdictions. These may include tuition refunds, return of licensing fees, among others. Here’s what some provinces have to offer.

Manitoba’s Health Worker Recruitment Strategy

Manitoba’s Health Human Resource Action Plan is a program that was originally announced in November 2022, Sets the goal to recruit 2,000 healthcare workers across the province. In this program which are the 3 latest incentives that are introduced by Government of Manitoba:

• Wellness Benefit: This will be a one-time $500 increase in existing Health Spending Accounts for full-time healthcare workers and $250 for part-time staff. They help pay for eligible medical expenses and can be added to existing benefits.

• Licensure Reimbursement: As soon as possible, a reimbursement for employees professional license fees or membership for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 periods will be issued to eligible employees. To be eligible, an employee must be actively working at the time of both years, along with proof of their payment.

• Weekend Pay Bonus: The bonus is an additional $8 per hour for hours worked on identified weekends, which remains in effect until a new collective agreement is reached.

These are just 3 of the over 10 benefits of this Manitoba-based program.

Newfoundland and Labrador Financial Incentives

Newfoundland and Labrador, NL has a number of financial incentives available for their healthcare workers, including signing bonuses and other support for the opening of family practices. The more famous of these programs is the Come Home Program.

This program targets those individuals who have some previous connection with NL, having been educated or trained in the province. It provides financial incentives to healthcare workers in exchange for their agreement to return to the province for three- or five-year periods. Examples of these financial incentives include:

• $100,000 for physicians for a five-year return period.

• $60,000 for nurse practitioners for a three-year return period

• $50,000 for a three-year return for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, paramedics, and clinical pharmacists.

There are also incentives for those with no previous connection to province, though the financial terms vary.

Prince Edward Island’s Healthcare Recruitment Boost

PEI has increased its Allied Health Professional Recruitment Incentive to provide up to $10,000 for healthcare professionals who commit to a one-year return-in-service agreement equal to 1,950 working hours.

Eligible positions include:

• Medical Laboratory Technologists
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• MRI Technologists
• Respiratory Therapists
• Sonographers
• Social Workers
• Pharmacy Technicians
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Dental Hygienists

To be eligible, applicants must be new to PEI’s workforce, not have worked in PEI’s health sector in the past two years, and never have received an incentive.

Saskatchewan’s Graduate Retention Program

Saskatchewan offers a number of incentives to health sector students and professionals including its Graduate Retention Program, which allows eligible graduates to receive a tuition rebate of $20,000 if they reside in, and file taxes in, the province.

To be eligible, graduates must:

• Must have attended an approved postsecondary program.
• Apply within seven years from graduation date.
• Graduates from 2018 have until April 30, 2025.

Eligible graduates must be a current resident of Saskatchewan or a person who intends to relocate to this province.

The incentives represent the continuous efforts taken throughout Canada in ensuring the stability and reinforcement of its health care through a set of monetary benefits accruing to the world’s best talents.