Ontario’s New Residency Rules Leave International Doctors Shut Out
Ontario’s government is facing backlash for introducing new residency eligibility rules that critics say could worsen the province’s doctor shortage.
Under the changes, international medical graduates (IMGs) must have completed at least two years of high school in Ontario to qualify for the first round of residency matching through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).
Before the rule, about 1,200 spots were open to IMGs. Now, only 170 remain.
‘This is very discriminatory,’ say doctors
Toronto anesthesiologist Dr. Filipe Santos, who trained abroad, said the change unfairly excludes qualified doctors.
“We basically are creating two types of citizens — by birth and by immigration,” Santos said.
Ontario Medical Association president Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman added the timing was disruptive, as applications for the first round were already underway.
“Having the rules change right when you're trying to submit your documents is really throwing them off,” she said.
Ministry defends move as support for local graduates
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said the goal is to prioritize Ontario-educated residents with international medical degrees.
“Our government is ensuring local training opportunities while building our health-care workforce,” said Ema Popovic.
Officials confirmed the second round of matching—which includes leftover positions—won’t require the high school stipulation, though IMGs will then compete against Canadian-trained doctors.
Critics warn of worsening doctor shortage
Ontario already faces a critical shortage, with around 2.5 million residents lacking a family doctor, according to INSPIRE-PHC.
Abdurrahman and other medical leaders warned the policy could leave positions unfilled.
“Reducing who can apply could leave us with unmatched spots — the exact opposite of what we need,” she said.
OMA’s Dr. David Barber said the policy defies logic amid a healthcare crisis.
“If a doctor has finished medical school, I can’t imagine why we’d stop them based on where they went to high school,” he said. “We should be opening doors, not closing them.”
