Ontario plans to make it easier for health professionals from other provinces to work in the province as part of an effort to address ongoing shortages in the health-care system. Labour Minister David Piccini is expected to table new legislation next week that will expand existing “as of right” work provisions to more professions, allowing qualified workers to begin practising immediately while completing their Ontario registration.
Currently, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and medical lab technologists from other provinces and territories are permitted to work in Ontario as they register with their respective regulatory colleges. The proposed legislation will extend those rights to 16 additional professions, including dentists, midwives, optometrists, pharmacists, psychologists, and medical radiation and imaging technologists.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones said in a statement that the changes will reduce bureaucratic barriers and allow professionals to care for patients more quickly. “This will help remove red tape and make it easier for health professionals to start caring for Ontarians sooner,” Jones said.
The government is also working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and the College of Nurses of Ontario to cut application fees, streamline documentation, and shorten approval timelines for out-of-province applicants. Similar steps are being taken to make it easier for qualified doctors and nurses from the United States to practise in Ontario.
The move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Ontario’s health-care workforce amid staffing challenges that have placed significant strain on hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.