6 Steps to Relocate To Canada As A Medical Doctor from Nigeria

Looking for the 2020 best Canadian relocation process for Physicians and Pharmacists from Nigeria? If yes, then this guide is for you.

A lot of people have asked how to relocate to Canada as a medical doctor from Nigeria. That is a good thing, however, the bad side is that Canadian Immigration for Doctors from Nigeria or any other country is a bit complex.

 I mean, if it were in the tech industry it would have been a step from where you are today. Pecky did get a job from Canada while in Nigeria.

But for medical doctors, #1. There is no guarantee that you will be practicing as a Medical doctor if you successfully relocate to Canada via FEEP or PNP.

#2. It can take you more than 5 years if not more before you will be able to practice medicine in Canada.

Now, the above is not to scare you, the point is knowing how to deal with the reality before you. As in, so as not to be surprised at getting lesser than what you expected. But is that all? Nope.

Canadian Immigration For Doctors From Nigeria; What To Expect

Before I dive in fully on how the immigration process works for medical doctors, now, it is worthy to note that most of the time, Nigerian Medicals doctors leaving for Canada usually end up as care aide givers in a nursing home or something of that nature.

Now that the bad side of the matter clearly stated, let’s get the solutions. That is, how to relocate to Canada as a medical doctor from Nigeria

Programs Designed for Canadian Immigration for Doctors

If you are a trained doctor seeking relocation to Canada from Nigeria or anywhere, the 2 popular programs made available are #1. British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP); and #2. Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

#1. British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)

British Columbia Needs More Health Care Professionals.

 The Skills Immigration (SI) – Healthcare Professional category of the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) helps physicians, specialists, nurses and allied health professionals work in B.C. and gain permanent residence.

Want a faster way to apply for permanent residency? See if you qualify for Express Entry BC — Healthcare Professional.

If you are qualified you can find a health care job through Health Match BC. To qualify for the Heath Match BC, here is an eligibility list.

#2. Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP).

If you are not qualified to further your relocation process as a Medical Doctor from Nigeria in British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), you can as well check out the SINP program.

To qualify for the SINP, you have to fulfill 2 criteria.

Saskatchewan will nominate you as a physician for permanent residency if you:

#A. Have the educational and professional qualifications to work here; and

#B. Meet the SINP criteria for nomination.

Although the criteria can change at any time, for now, the above is what will be used to consider or judge you when they receive your completed application.
For complete eligibility, check out – SIN-program.

Don’t miss : How To Relocate To Canada Without IELTS from Nigeria & Anywhere

How to Successfully Relocate To Canada As A Medical Doctor From Nigeria in 6 Steps

Now that you are qualified for any of the 2 programs or both, the next step of action is taking the following 6 steps and you will for sure land in Canada as a Medical Doctor in Nigeria or anywhere else.

#1. Find Out if you Have a Recognized Medical Qualification

Before you think of processing relocation to Canada as a medical doctor, what you want to do is see-through if your medical certificate is recognized by the assigned Canadian association. How can you go about that?

Step #.1. Kindly go to the World Directory of Medical Schools website.

Step #2. Enter in detail, like the country you received your qualification from and the name of your university. See below.

Now if your university is an accepted medical institution, it will show up in the results.

It’s important to note that a Canadian Sponsor Note from your university must also be included in your application.

#2. Get Approval from the Medical Council of Canada

You will have to become familiar with the Medical Council of Canada or MCC. To do that you will need a qualification called the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada.

And how do you get a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada?

#1. Pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations, these examinations are broken into two parts Part 1 and 2; and

#2. Complete at least 12 months of postgraduate training.

Observation:

#A. Getting approval from the Medical Council of Canada is not a guarantee that you can practice in Canada!

#B. You can take Part 1 of the MCCQE exam before you move to Canada, but you must be in the country for Part 2.

After passing all your MCCQE exams, you will still need the approval of the Medical Regulatory Authorities in the province or territory you wish to apply for.

Below is a list of medical authorities in Canada and where you can find them.

Province/Territory	Medical Regulatory Authority	Contact Details
Alberta	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta	780-423-4764
British Columbia	College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia	1-800-461-3008
Manitoba	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba	(877) 774-4344 or [email protected]
New Brunswick	College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick	(506) 849-5050 or 1-800-667-4641
Newfoundland & Labrador	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland & Labrador	(709) 726-8546 or [email protected]
Northwest Territories	Government of the Northwest Territories	(67) 767-9000
Nunavut	Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services Medical Registration Committee	1-877-212-6438 or [email protected]
Ontario	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario	+1 800-268-7096 or [email protected]
Prince Edward Island	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island	(902) 566 – 3861
Québec	College des médecins du Québec	1 888 MÉDECIN (633-3246) or [email protected]
Saskatchewan	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan	(306) 244-7355 or [email protected]
Yukon	Yukon Medical Council	(867) 667.3774 or [email protected]

Read: Best Ways to Relocate To Canada from Nigeria: Immigrate to Canada with Express Entry Program

#3. Fees for Confirmation Of Medical Degree By The MCC.

After your exams, there will be a fee to confirm your medical degree by the MCC. While it can be less or more, be it as it may, below is a rough estimation of the fees and add-ons you are required to be aware of so as to budget properly.

• Translation fee CAD$181 per page;
• ECA report CAD$137;
• Degree verification CAD$215;
• Application fee for MCCEE CAD$2,365;
• Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I CAD$1,598; and
• Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II CAD$3,340

#4. Submit And Store Your Documents

This can be a bit complicated, but if you stand tall you can make it happen with or without assistance. Nonetheless, the good news is that there are certain organizations you can register with to help submit and store your documents. The popular and the most used is physiciansapply.ca.

Physiciansapply.ca helps shows you how to become a practicing physician in Canada. Not just that.

You can also find out more about the process to become a practicing physician in Canada, including how to obtain the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada. See more at physiciansapply.ca.

Talking about submitting and storing your processing documents, see the video below for proper guidance.

#5. Language Proficiency Proof

Like FEEP or PNP or even relocation via the Home Care Program that requires no Proof of Funds, you will need to take the language test so as to weigh your proficiency. And of course, you will be tested in 4 areas: in speaking, listening, writing and reading.

#6. Work Experience Proof

It is believed that you must have had some working experiences as a doctor here in Nigeria. If yes, then the following are the documents you will be expected to present.

• Hours worked;
• Work responsibilities;
• NOC (National Occupational Classification) title;
• Current salary;
• Contact details of employer; and
• The letter head of your company

How To Apply For Educational Credential Assessments (ECA) for Physicians And Pharmacists

Principal applicants intending to apply as a Physician/Specialist Physician (NOC 3111 or 3112) must be assessed by the Medical Council of Canada.

Individuals intending to apply as a Pharmacist (NOC 3131) must have an assessment from the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada.

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) strives to achieve the highest level of medical care for Canadians through excellence in the assessment of physicians.

The MCC maintains the Canadian Medical Register, in which medical graduates are inscribed when they fulfill the MCC’s requirements. Additionally, the MCC supports research and development to ensure it remains at the forefront of innovation in medical assessment.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Relocation To Canada As A Medical Doctor from Nigeria

Question: What is the Best country for a Nigerian doctor to migrate to?

Answer: The USA, UK, and Canada

According to theinsight.org.ng, the survey conducted NOI Poll and Nigeria Health Watch showed that out of 72,000 medical doctors registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, only approximately 35,000 are practicing in the country.

The respondents in the survey were medical personnel who practice in Nigeria and abroad.

The researchers discovered that 93 per cent of the respondents said medical personnel who flee this country go to the United Kingdom, where the ratio of doctors to population beats of WHO recommended ratio of one medical doctor to 600 persons.

Also, 86 per cent of the respondents say United States is another target country for medical doctors who emigrate from Nigeria in search of greener pastures abroad.

Others are Canada (60%), Saudi Arabia (59%), Australia (52%), UAE (29%), Caribbean Island (17), Ireland (15%), South Africa (4%), Botswana (1%), and Qatar (1%).

 

Question: What is the IELTS score for doctors in Canada?

Answer: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)

For the medical professionals, you require a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) test score of 7 to qualify for Canada immigration.

Without complicating the issue, it means, score 6 in IELTS Listening, 6 in IELTS Reading, 6 in IELTS Writing, and also 6 in IELTS Speaking.

All in all, if you can, score more than 6 to boost your CRS point.

Final Note on Immigration as a Medical Doctor

As far as relocation to Canada as a medical doctor is concerned, the above is what you need to do if you want to relocate to Canada as a Medical Practitioner in Nigeria.

Note that the above steps will work for anybody from any country seeking immigration in Canada as a medical doctor.

And lastly, if you are not keen on 1. British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP); and #2. Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), just feel free to seek after other Canadian provinces and take the same steps.

Next on Relocation Garland:  Top Easiest & Cheapest Ways to Migrate to Canada from Nigeria

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Read also – How To Finally Relocate To Canada Without IELTS + PDF By Victor Ola

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