Health Committee on Oct. 30th, 2025

[Valerie Grdisa]

That's the issue, because every province has a different regionalization model, so it's actually more at the regional health authority level or at the health or care organization level where you're seeing those examples of really good transition to practice programs for internationally educated nurses.

I am happy to share anything, and I'm sure that Dr. Leigh Chapman, Chief Nursing Officer of Canada, has tons of examples for you. I mentioned UHN. I mentioned the CARE program for internationally educated nurses. I'm happy to share anything else that you'd like to see. The problem is that there are tons of exemplars in Canada.

There are tons of exemplars of excellence that we're not spreading, scaling up and actually implementing in a more structured, consistent and harmonized way across the nation. When the health care professionals and leaders come together, we are getting frustrated with this plan to plan to plan. We are known as the nation of pilots, and we need to actually take some bold action to make sure any human being who wants to come to Canada and has the qualifications has that incredible enculturation experience with the right supports.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you very much.

I now go to Mr. Thériault for two and a half minutes.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

We agree on the objectives.

Dr. Barati, what year did you start your efforts?

[Pantea Barati]

In 2012.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Since then, have you seen an improvement in the navigation that was mentioned when it comes to getting licences and practices recognized?

[Pantea Barati]

Some provinces try to change their examination format, like some of them added more exams and some of them reduced some of the exams. You are asking a lot of doctors and educational health care professionals to come to Canada with the hope of starting their lives, but you don't have the resources to help us to enter the workforce. You don't have many opportunities to offer to immigrants. Although the government is providing and asking for more immigration, I have no idea what outcome we are looking at in entertaining that many doctors and nurses to come to Canada when we don't have that many resources or are not planning to...do that.

No, it's getting worse compared to 2012.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

For someone from abroad who wants to come practise here, does Immigration Canada have clear practices and rules that would, among other things, ensure that the person doesn't lose their ability to practise? Some people have immigrated here and learned, once they arrived, that they had to have practised medicine for at least one year in the last three years, which has forced them to leave the country to meet that requirement. They didn't know that until they got here.

If Immigration Canada's rules were more transparent and clearer, I imagine it would be easier.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I'm sorry, but you're running out of time.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

The application could be made from abroad, and people could meet the requirement of having practised for one year.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I am going to give you 10 seconds to answer that. We are well over time on this round.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you.

[Pantea Barati]

Well, there was no transparency from Immigration Canada, from the first day I started my application to enter Canada. Since then, I've never seen any transparency to say what the limitations and restrictions are for any health care professional when they are immigrating to Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

Thank you.

Now we go to the Conservatives. Mr. Strauss, go ahead for five minutes, please.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Thank you, Dr. Barati. I'm just interested to hear more about your story. When and where did you do your medical training? What training did you undergo?

[Pantea Barati]

I did my medical schooling back in Iran, and it was a seven and a half years of education, so it is considered a general practitioner.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

What I find so amazing about your story is that you live in Canada, you are Canadian, but you had to go to the United Kingdom to have your credentials recognized. What was the process to have your credentials recognized in the U.K.?

[Pantea Barati]

For the U.K. recognition, I had to have two exams, and then, right away, I got my licensing.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

You passed those exams, obviously.

Are you allowed to write the corollary exams, the Canadian equivalent of those U.K. exams, right now?

[Pantea Barati]

Well, the point is we all do the exams, but there is no promise or guarantee that, with all those exams and expenses...there is no future for it.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

I see, so it's been made clear to you that, if you were to write the exams in Canada, still, you would not receive the credentials to practise here?

[Pantea Barati]

That's correct.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

I just want to remind the committee that, when Stephanie Price was here from the federation of medical regulators, she said that if somebody gets their national credentials from the national bodies, which are respondent to the federal Parliament, 100% they would get a provincial licensure, so the holdup is the credentialing.

What I find so remarkable about your story is the United Kingdom is a first world, developed country with a highly sophisticated health care system, and you're allowed to work there but you're not allowed to work here, where you live. Can you just tell me, how often do you have to travel to the U.K. and what is the cost of that to you?

[Pantea Barati]

To meet my family, at least, I have to travel every two to three months. Each time, it might cost over $3,000 Canadian.

[Matt Strauss, Conservative, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

What sort of work are you doing in the U.K. when you get there?

[Pantea Barati]

I'm working in psychiatry in-patient work, as a physician.