Health

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA) met on November 6, 2025, to study the impact of immigration on Canadian health care. Witnesses included Krissy Bell from the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, Shamira Madhany from World Education Services, international medical doctors Ali Amiri and Antanina Hulko from Catholic Community Services of York Region, Elizabeth Shouldice and Michael Herman from the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, and Sadaf Faisal from the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

Krissy Bell stated that physiotherapists are first-contact primary care professionals who reduce pressure on the health system, saving $232 million annually in managing conditions like back pain. She noted that internationally educated physiotherapists now make up 25% of the workforce, but licensure can take up to two years and cost $2,000. She recommended funding credential recognition streamlining, grants for Canadians trained abroad, bridging programs, and expanding student loan forgiveness to physiotherapists, urging the committee to seek an update on the loan forgiveness program.

Shamira Madhany argued that thousands of internationally educated health professionals in Canada are ready to work but face systemic barriers, with almost half not practising in their fields. She called for federal leadership to create a pan-Canadian strategy and a permanent coordinating body to harmonize licensing pathways, align immigration selection with licensure, and advance a comprehensive health workforce data strategy. She noted that recent federal funding announcements lacked details on how they would reduce barriers.

Ali Amiri, an international medical doctor, described his journey from Iran to Canada, where he passed licensing exams but faces limited residency positions, with only about 180 of nearly 4,000 spots open to international medical graduates. He urged the committee to promote fairness and expand opportunities for supervised training and residency, emphasizing that internationally trained physicians are Canadians by choice ready to contribute.

Antanina Hulko, a former general surgeon from Belarus, testified that despite passing all Canadian medical exams and becoming a citizen, a new Ontario policy restricting first-round residency eligibility to those who attended high school in the province has blocked her path. She called for fair opportunities to contribute, noting that her skills are underutilized as she works in long-term care. She disagreed with the policy, calling it unfair and frustrating.

Elizabeth Shouldice and Michael Herman stated that Canada’s emergency care system is under unprecedented strain, with a shortage of 1,500 to 2,000 emergency physicians predicted over the next decade. They recommended a national workforce strategy with federal input, competency-based pathways for internationally trained emergency physicians, and equitable distribution of the workforce through incentives for underserved areas. They emphasized that emergency department crowding is primarily an outflow problem linked to hospital bed shortages, not just physician numbers.

Sadaf Faisal, an internationally trained pharmacist, noted that 35% of Canadian pharmacists are internationally trained, the highest proportion among health professions, but licensure can take three to five years and cost up to $20,000. She recommended federal funding for bridging programs, investment in domestic pharmacy education capacity, and intergovernmental collaboration to harmonize scope of practice and improve mobility. She stressed that the system needs smarter coordination, not lower standards.

The meeting opened with a procedural debate sparked by Conservative MP Burton Bailey, who accused a Liberal member of denigrating Catholic values in an email about a witness organization. Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson clarified that his email was not meant to denigrate the organization or Catholic faith but to prepare for a potential Conservative point about charitable status for religious organizations. The committee then proceeded with witness testimony and questions.