TORONTO - Amid months of labour unrest in England, a new report published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has revealed that doctors and medical specialists in that country are looking to make the jump across the Atlantic, with some eyeing a move to Canada to set up their practice.
It’s welcome news for those across Canada, who’ve been struggling to get access to care.
Earlier this month, Dr. Shani Datta, a psychiatrist who also sits on the British Medical Journal’s specialists committee, says he’s heard from numerous doctors who say they’re looking to leave England, frustrated with wages, job security and available positions.
“They leave for other countries; I’ve had colleagues leave for Canada which is a very popular destination,” said Datta during a recent British Medical Journal podcast.
Hailing from Birmingham, England, Dr. Francis Okoroh made the jump to Toronto in 2024. He has since opened a family practice in the city’s downtown core.
“Over the 18 plus months I’ve been here (in Canada), I’ve been able to partner with others to open a clinic downtown. I feel that’s something that just wouldn’t be possible in the United Kingdom with all of the government red tape over there,” said Dr. Okoroh.
Okoroh says because of changes to public health in England, many medical school graduates can’t find work, and when they do, their pay scale is low compared to other Western nations.
“The main reason I moved (to Canada) is because I was worried about my job security (in England). I trained in the United Kingdom, (and) did my family medicine training in the U.K. I noticed towards the end of my time there, working in the Birmingham area, (that) it was becoming difficult to work the shifts that I wanted, and financially I was forced to look elsewhere,” said Dr. Okoroh.
This Monday, June 15, doctors in England will stage a walkout, marking the 16th time they’ve held a similar job action during their long-running, months-long dispute with the government over wages and a lack of employment opportunities.
In Canada, the medical system is facing the opposite issue: not enough family doctors for patients across the country.
As of 2025, a Health Canada report revealed that Canada was short more than 22,800 family physicians. Dr. Okoroh sees international recruitment as part of the solution to get more highly skilled medical professionals working in the country, improving access to care.
“Canada has recently opened its doors to those from the U.K. (and) those from Australia who have a family physician qualification, meaning there aren’t extra exams you have to take. That’s a big incentive,” said Okoroh.
In December, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched targeted immigration measures to boost Canada’s supply of doctors. CTV News emailed IRCC asking how many physicians have been attracted to Canada this year as part of the program. The department didn’t respond to the request before deadline.
While doctors moving from England, Australia and elsewhere may help fill a critical gap in Canada’s health-care system, Dr. Okoroh believes all levels of government need to proceed with caution.
“The key thing that Canada obviously has to make sure is that the process to recruit doctors is rigorous, because you’re trying to maintain a certain kind of quality of care in the country as well,” said Dr. Okoroh.
A new pipeline of professionals would be welcome news for patients facing Canada’s shortage of family doctors.
