Immigration matters in health care

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Text version : Percentage of immigrants in health care occupations

Registered nurses: 25%
Nurse aides and related: 42%
Pharmacists: 43%
Physicians: 37%
Dentists: 45%
Dental technologists and related: 61%

More than 1.9 million people work in Canada’s health care sector and many more will be needed in the coming years to ensure continued access to high-quality care.

Over 420,000 workers in the health care sector are over the age of 55, and most of these will be retiring in the next decade or so. In addition, there are existing recruitment challenges from everywhere in Canada for nurses, residential care staff and home health care staff. There’s a clear opportunity for immigrants to play an important role in ensuring there are enough people working in the health care sector.

The sustainability and effectiveness of the Canadian health care system depends on an integrated and diverse workforce. We value the important contribution of immigrants to our health care system and welcome them to Canada!

Claire Betker, RN, MN, PhD, CCHN(C), Former President of the Canadian Nurses Association

Impact of immigration

Immigrants account for 1 in 4 health care sector workers.
In Canada, immigrants make up
- 25% of registered nurses
- 42% of nurse aides and related occupations
- 43% of pharmacists
- 37% of physicians
- 45% of dentists
- 61% of dental technologists and related occupations
More than 40% of newcomers to Canada between 2016 and 2021 who were working in the health care sector were employed in the important areas of nursing and residential care facilities, as well as home health care services.

Unless otherwise noted, all statistics are from the Statistics Canada 2021 Census.

Some famous Canadian immigrants

Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui

Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui immigrated to Canada from China. He and a team of scientists from the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis. He’s an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame among many other achievements.

Professor Lakshmi P. Kotra

Professor Lakshmi P. Kotra immigrated to Canada from India. He discovered a new anti-malaria agent through his research at the University Health Network in Toronto. Professor Kotra now leads an international association with India for the development of drugs targeting malaria. He has won numerous awards, including the Province of Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award and the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences Young Investigator Award.

Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla

Born in India, Dr. Dhalla is a professor and research scientist focusing on cardiovascular health and heart disease therapy. He’s the promoter and founder of the International Society for Heart Research and the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences. He’s also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Member of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the Order of Manitoba. He was inducted into the Citizens Hall of Fame in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in London, Ontario.

Dr. Adolfo de Bold

Originally from Argentina, Dr. Adolfo de Bold was Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Ottawa. He was recognized for his cardiovascular discovery, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), a breakthrough in heart research and the treatment of heart failure. This work was the top research accomplishment funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario in the past 50 years. He was an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Dr. Judith G. Hall

Dr. Hall is an American–Canadian medical doctor recognized for her research in pediatric genetic diseases. She helped clarify the importance of folic acid in reducing birth defects and has described genetic syndromes, including one that bears her name: Pallister-Hall syndrome. Dr. Hall has received more than 50 awards throughout her career and became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998.

Dr. Tak Wah Mak

Born in China, Dr. Tak Wah Mak has made huge contributions in the field of immunology and cancer research by solving the structure of the T-cell receptor gene. This allows researchers to recognize what fights cancers at the cellular level. He received the Gairdner International Award for Science, the Novartis Prize in Immunology, the Paul Ehrlich Prize and the Sloan Award. He’s an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Dr. Julio Montaner

Born in Argentina, Dr. Montaner’s work has had a tremendous impact on stopping the transmission of HIV/AIDS in Canada and globally through his highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment. His honours include the Rx&D Health Research Foundation Medal of Honour, the Albert Einstein World of Science Award, and the 2023 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Trailblazer Award. Dr. Montaner is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a recipient of the Order of British Columbia, and is currently Executive Director and Physician-in-chief at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and head of the division of AIDS at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Vladimir Hachinski

Ukrainian-Canadian Dr. Vladimir Hachinski is an international authority in the field of stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s research. He has contributed significantly to the treatment and prevention of stroke and dementia and to the development of the Hachinski Ischemic Score (HIS), the standard method of identifying the treatable component of dementia. He became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2009.