The Canadian Federal Government has announced changes to the Canada’s Express Entry system, with the aim of attracting more highly skilled health workers to the country. This includes dentists, with Canada currently facing a shortage of dental professionals. These changes should hopefully result in better access to healthcare for Canadians.
The Canadian Federal Government has announced that there will be alterations made to Canada’s well-known Express Entry immigration stream, with the aim of attracting more health workers [1].
These changes come at a time when communities across Canada are facing shortages in healthcare workers, despite desperately needing them.
The changes will hopefully result in skilled workers coming from different countries to assist Canada’s healthcare system. Moreover, this is likely to result in more dentists – something that Canada needs.
Express Entry System
Canada’s express entry immigration system is well-known. The system is designed to attract skilled workers seeking to immigrate permanently to Canada. Applications for skilled workers are fast-tracked, with the aim of completing the process within six months [2].
There are a few different streams within the system. One such stream – the Economic Mobility Pathway – has helped skilled refugees to train in numerous areas, including as nurses’ aides [3]. This latest stream has the intention of specifically attracting healthcare workers.
New updates
New changes to the immigration stream have been announced. The major change involves the Government of Canada being able to issue invitations for the opportunity to apply for permanent residency in Canada to candidates from certain fields. Moreover, this also extends to those with specific skills, training or language ability [1].
The Honourable Sean Fraser and the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos have announced that a specific round of invitations will now be sent to health workers [1]. Moreover, these invitations will specifically be for doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and optometrists [1].
These changes are designed to improve Canada’s healthcare system, with the hope that an influx of highly skilled healthcare workers will see an improvement in patient care.
Furthermore, the changes should also increase access to healthcare. This action underlines Canada’s commitment towards welcoming skilled workers into the country.
Need for dentists in Canada
The news that dentists are being targeted is very good news! Dentists are needed in Canada, with many patients struggling to get an appointment.
Many believe the Federal Government have not stepped in soon enough. For example, Canada remains behind other nations like the United States when it comes to spending on public dental care [4].
Past research has showed that in a five-year period between 2017 and 2022, there were 2,552 skilled newcomers that planned to work in the dental industry [1]. However, many have retired in this time period.
The aim is that the new announcement will pave the way for many more skilled workers to come and work in the dental industry in the following years. Therefore, this would improve dental care in Canada.
Comments
Following the announcement, the Honourable Sean Fraser said that Canada’s health system “needs more workers to continue delivering the quality care that people in Canada deserve” [1]. Fraser is hoping that this latest plan will produce positive results. He has said that Canada is “looking forward to welcoming many health professionals” [1].
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos also commented, saying that the labour shortage is “more prominent in the healthcare sector” than any other field [1]. Therefore, Duclos said that the announcement will hopefully result in patients getting the “timely quality care they need and deserve” [1]. Furthermore, Duclos says that they will continue to address the health worker crisis.
This is the latest commitment from the Government of Canada, coming soon after its announcement of a $46.2billion funding commitment to improve healthcare services in provinces and territories [1].
These are all promising signs – and shows that the Federal Government is taking a proactive approach to dealing with the shortage of healthcare professionals. If these changes have the desired effect, Canada’s healthcare system is likely to improve significantly in the years to come.
Thinking points…
1) This is positive news, with many people needing to see a dentist soon. If you are someone in need of visiting a dentist, you will be interested to know that here at Savanna Dental, we are always happy to accept new patients! Our team will be happy to welcome you for a check-up. Our prices are also set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide, which provides fair and transparent pricing. We would love to see you here at Savanna Dental soon!
2) One of the problems facing the healthcare industry, along with a shortage of workers – as seen above – is that the remnants of Covid-19 continue to be felt. Covid-19 caused chaos for dentistry and many people have not returned to a dental clinic since then. But remember it is important to regularly visit your dentist to see how your oral health is. If you are someone that has been reluctant to return to a dental clinic, you can be assured that dental clinics are back up and running. We strongly recommend you book an appointment soon!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a wide range of dental treatment options and advice aimed at improving their oral health.
It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. (2023). Canada announces new immigration stream specific to health workers. Available: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canada-announces-new-immigration-stream-specific-to-health-workers-842324057.html. Last accessed: 6th July 2023.
[2] Government of Canada. (2020). Express Entry System. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/express-entry-system-immigrants.html. Last accessed: 6th July 2023.
[3] Government of Canada. (2023). Canada opens new economic immigration streams for skilled refugees and other displaced people. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/06/canada-opens-new-economic-immigration-streams-for-skilled-refugees-and-other-displaced-people.html. Last accessed: 6th July 2023.
[4] Glynn, T. (2023). Lack of dental care is incredibly cruel and inefficient: dentist. Available: https://www.healthcoalition.ca/lack-of-dental-care-is-incredibly-cruel-and-inefficient-dentist/. Last accessed: 6th July 2023.
