Exploring the Canadian market for Indian health workers

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of health worker availability. Shortage of healthcare workers aggravated by the pandemic resulted in policies to attract and retain foreign health workers in several receiving countries. On the other hand, countries such as India, the largest global supplier of doctors and second largest for nurses, have launched schemes to boost the supply of health workers, both to address domestic demand-supply gaps and to provide healthcare workers to potential markets and regions. One such market is Canada, where around 39% of doctors and 25% of nurses were foreign-born in 2016, but a market which does not feature among the top destination countries for Indian health workers. This paper examines the prospects for exports of health workers from India to Canada. It discusses the rising shares of Indian health workers in Canada and growing opportunities in the Canadian market. It suggests the need to explore different approaches for collaboration between India and Canada, through enhanced bilateral economic ties, including trade and mobility arrangements, that can be beneficial to the health systems of both countries.