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A number of American health-care professionals are looking north as B.C. continues to break down barriers for U.S. health-care workers to practise here.

Photo by Jaana Björk

More U.S. doctors, nurses, allied health professionals on their way to B.C.

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 11:30 PDT, Tue September 23, 2025

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Increasing numbers of American health-care professionals are looking north as B.C. continues to break down barriers for U.S. health-care workers to practise here.

Since May 2025, the number of job applications received from U.S. health-care workers has doubled to more than 1,400 and more than 140 qualified U.S. doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals have accepted job offers. More are on the way.

“Health-care workers want to be in a system where their skills are valued, science is respected and their focus is on providing care – not fighting with for-profit insurance companies,” said Josie Osborne, minister of health. “That’s why we’re seeing incredible momentum with hundreds of American health-care workers on their way to B.C. and some already here. For people in British Columbia, this means shorter wait times, stronger team-based care and better health services in communities across the province.”

With growing uncertainty in the U.S., increasing numbers of American health-care workers are drawn to B.C. as a place that believes in science, protects reproductive rights and provides universal health-care coverage.

The province launched a recruitment marketing campaign targeting health-care workers in Washington, Oregon and select cities in California during June and July 2025. The campaign continues through advertisements placed in academic publications in the U.S. through September. Since the recruitment campaign began in March, more than 2,950 health-care workers have expressed interest in moving to British Columbia by visiting the BC Health Careers website.

“Our family made the move to Kamloops this summer and we already feel at home,” said Dr. Olga Decker, a U.S. doctor who moved to Kamloops in July 2025. “The process was smooth and supportive. Health Match BC and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC made it possible for me to start practising quickly. I’m grateful for the warm Canadian welcome and I’m excited to build a life here, while continuing to serve patients and provide the best medical care at Royal Inland Hospital.”

The influx of new health-care workers is supported by government’s action to attract American health-care workers and break down barriers to them practising in British Columbia. These supports include:

a new, expedited credential recognition process for U.S.-trained and certified nurses.

535 U.S. nurses and 104 nurse practitioners have successfully registered with the BC Colleges of Nurses and Midwives to practise in B.C. Often, the first step taken is to confirm their credentials before applying for jobs.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC implemented bylaw changes to make it easier for U.S.-trained doctors to practise in B.C. without the need for further assessment, examination or training.

Since then, 29 U.S.-trained physicians have been registered through the college.

For doctors trained outside of Canada and the U.S., the province has eliminated the need for an additional exam, the licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons is also proposing a bylaw change to further streamline the registration and licensure process for certain specialties from jurisdictions where training is recognized and approved by Canada’s national certification bodies.

“Since February, I have been working with HealthMatch BC, and they’ve made the process of moving from Alaska to Nakusp very smooth and made me feel valued and welcomed at every step,” said Nickol Dameron, a U.S. nurse who will relocate to Nakusp in November 2025. “I am so thrilled to be joining my colleagues and providing care to my community at Arrow Lakes Hospital starting in late November.”

This is part of the province’s “Team BC” approach in which health authorities, regulatory colleges, local government and communities work together to recruit more health-care workers from the U.S. By welcoming more American doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals, B.C. is building on the expertise of its talented health-care workforce to strengthen public health care, deliver services for people and build healthy communities.