Categories For Doctors + Healthcare Practitioners

Canada recruits global talent in the wake of U.S. immigrant visa suspension

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to suspend the H-1B visa for immigrants. In response, companies like Shopify launched a resource portal to support skilled engineers who have trouble getting into the states. Allevio is also doing its part by helping doctors who are considering Canada as an alternative.

In this Tweet, Tobi Lutke, the chief executive and founder of Shopify, said that the company hires internationally and there is support for skilled talent who may wish to relocate to Canada. 

Lutke wrote that if getting into the states is an individual’s main objective, then they can still move there after changes are made to the H-1B rules. “But Canada is awesome. Give it a try,” he added.

The suspension of the H-1B visa for immigrants means that highly specialized workers, such as H1-B doctors, are cut off from providing aid to locations that require them most. These locations include areas that are medically underserved and have a shortage of health professionals. Other affected fields pertain to science, information technology (IT), and engineering; meaning that interested professionals are unable to put their practice to good use. 

However, support for physicians is available in Canada Allevio is always looking to bring passionate and well-credentialed doctors to help our citizens. 

There are interventional pain management career postings listed on the careers page for U.S. and U.K. doctors who have fellowships in pain management from an accredited program. Trained doctors should also be specialized in anesthesia, neurology, physical medicine, rehabilitation, or physiatry. Interested healthcare providers may apply using the online forum or send an email to careers@allevioclinic.com

Health Canada is another example of an organization dedicated to supporting individuals who suffer from chronic pain. In March 2020, it was announced that $2.9 million would be used to improve access to chronic pain services and care. 

“Anyone who lives with chronic pain knows the toll it can take on one’s daily life,” said the Honourable Patty Hajdu, the federal Minister of Health. “Persistent pain can make it hard to go to school or work. It can make it hard to take part in everyday activities with friends and family.”

Hajdu added that for these reasons, the government is committed to helping individuals who are living with chronic pain. This form of aid encompasses support for developing chronic pain management strategies and tools that provide information on opioids.

As U.S. immigration policies change alongside global economies affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, organizations across Canada see this as an opportunity to broaden recruitment efforts. Such efforts not only help in providing careers for talented professionals, but also in improving global healthcare.

Medical practice in Ontario and across Canada offers unique advantages that are attractive to many physicians who have considered or have trained in the United States. Some advantages include: consistent patient demand, a stable and trustworthy payor, respectful and appreciative patient populations, a collegial practice climate, reasonable medical malpractice insurance rates, and, of course, a Canadian lifestyle, which means a safe and comfortable place to live or raise a family.

If you are a physician or an expert in health services who is considering a move or who can’t stay in the United States, please consider Canada. You will make a profound impact on our community, and you will quickly find out how great it is to be a part of it as well.