Addressing the hurdles obstructing the accreditation process for internationally-educated nurses aspiring to practice in Manitoba, Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino calls for the elimination of these barriers.
“I’m actively engaging with their concerns and working tirelessly to find a solution. This is the collective plea of internationally-educated nurses here in Manitoba, and I firmly believe it echoes throughout Canada. We are dedicated to dismantling the unjust obstacles to accreditation, ensuring these professionals can practice safely with the necessary support,” Marcelino affirms.
Having assumed the immigration portfolio just a month ago, Marcelino took over from former immigration minister Jon Reyes. Earlier this year, the Manitoba government achieved a milestone by successfully welcoming hundreds of internationally-educated healthcare professionals. A significant 90% of those offered jobs during a mission to the Philippines accepted positions in the province.
According to Manitoba Health Minister Audrey Gordon, “More than 300 internationally educated health-care professionals have now accepted job offers to work as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or healthcare aides in communities located right across our province. Our government is committed to healing our healthcare system and building our health human resource capacity, so that more patients have access to the care they need.”
Shared Health extended Letters of Interest (LOI) to 348 candidates who underwent interviews in Manila, Cebu, or Iloilo during a recruitment mission to the Philippines in February. Over 300 candidates accepted job offers in Manitoba, initiating the immigration and licensing processes and arriving in the province during the summer and autumn months.
Former immigration minister Jon Reyes emphasizes the continued high desire among Filipino health-care workers to live and work in Manitoba. He underscores the strong connections between Manitoba’s local Filipino community and those remaining in the Philippines. Manitoba is acknowledged as an exceptionally welcoming and friendly province, where dreams and success are achievable through determination and hard work, and healthcare workers’ contributions are valued.
The University of Manitoba’s faculty of nursing is actively developing a virtual clinical competence assessment to facilitate the seamless integration of internationally-trained nurses into the healthcare system.
Highlighting a critical shortage of 2,600 nurses in the province, Manitoba’s immigration minister acknowledges the existing barriers for internationally-educated nurses. Marcelino emphasizes the need to prioritize safety standards while reevaluating requirements that seem counterintuitive.
Among the identified barriers are the redundant language tests, compelling internationally-educated nurses to rewrite them even if they have previously passed. Additionally, regulatory colleges mandate that such nurses must restart their education if they haven’t practiced in two or three years.
“Many of them are out of the scope of practice,” Marcelino explains. “To go back to a four-year nursing degree or start again as a doctor is extremely prohibitive. No one can do that.” She advocates for the establishment of a new pathway for internationally-educated professionals.
“Once we have this successful pathway in place, I’m going to call on other internationally-educated nurses across Canada to come to Manitoba,” Marcelino affirms, envisioning a more accessible route for skilled professionals to contribute to the healthcare sector in the province.