Canada’s federal government has allocated $20 million to expand the Practice Ready Ontario (PRO) program, creating a fast‑track pathway for internationally trained physicians (ITPs) to obtain an Ontario licence to practice family medicine.
Funding and program growth
- The $20 M investment will add 50 new PRO positions per year for four years, aiming for all participants to be practising in Ontario by 2028‑2029.
- A dedicated stream will also be created for French‑speaking ITPs.
- An additional $11 million will support five projects across Canada that assist licensing for internationally educated nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health professionals.
Eligibility and pathway
To qualify for PRO, an ITP must:
- Be a Canadian permanent resident or citizen.
- Meet minimum education, work‑experience and language‑proficiency requirements (as detailed on the Touchstone Institute website, the program administrator).
The PRO route replaces the traditional two‑year residency with a 12‑week clinical field assessment. An experienced ITP can therefore become licensed in under a year, compared with the usual three to five years for other routes.
Licensing steps
- Complete the 12‑week clinical assessment under PRO supervision.
- Sign a three‑year Return of Service Agreement (RSO) committing to practice in Ontario.
- Work under supervised practice for the RSO period.
- After the RSO, pass the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) Certification Examination in Family Medicine (CFPC) to obtain full, independent licensure.
Objectives
Health Canada states the expansion is intended to improve access to primary care in:
- Underserved northern and rural regions of Ontario.
- Francophone communities within the province.
Related federal and provincial measures
- Physician permanent‑residence pathway: Since its launch in 2026, the federal government has invited 891 physicians to apply for permanent residence under a dedicated stream for those with Canadian work experience.
- December 2025 immigration measures included:
- Creation of the dedicated federal PR pathway for physicians with Canadian work experience.
- An extra 5,000 PR spaces for physicians through provincial/territorial streams.
- 14‑day work‑permit processing for physicians nominated by a province or territory.
- Ontario legislation (effective 1 Jan 2026) allows physicians, surgeons and nurses licensed in other provinces to obtain authorization to practice in Ontario within two business days after credential validation.
- 20 other regulated health professions can receive authorization in as little as 10 days under the same reforms.
These initiatives form part of an ongoing collaboration between federal and provincial governments to address labour shortages by reducing licensing barriers for regulated health professionals across Canada.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
