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For Brits moving abroad
Healthcare and Teaching Jobs in Canada for Brits
Last checked: October 2026
Healthcare and teaching jobs in Canada are some of the best routes for Brits, because both have their own Express Entry categories. Canada is short of nurses, doctors, care workers and teachers, especially outside the big cities, and it's using targeted draws to bring them in.
The big difference from the UK is that both professions are regulated by each province. You can't work as a nurse, doctor or teacher until you're registered with the regulator in the province you're moving to, and that can take months, so start early.
Here's who Canada is looking for, how registration works, and what to check before you apply.
Healthcare and Teaching Jobs in Demand in Canada
These jobs are in Canada's Express Entry healthcare and education categories, which pick skilled workers for permanent residence.
Nursing and care
Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Nurse Aide and Patient Service Associate
Doctors and specialists
General Practitioner, Specialist Physician, Dentist, Pharmacist, Psychologist, Chiropractor
Therapy and allied health
Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist
Teaching and education
Elementary and Secondary School Teacher, Early Childhood Educator, Teacher Assistant
To qualify, you need at least 12 months of full-time experience in one of the listed jobs within the last three years. Canada matches you by what you actually do, not your job title, so check the official list on canada.ca to see where your work fits.
Visa Options for Healthcare and Teaching Jobs in Canada
Most UK nurses, doctors and teachers move to Canada for good through permanent residence, but some start on a work permit and apply to stay later. Which route suits you depends on whether you have a job offer, your experience, and which province you want to work in.
Express Entry
Express Entry is Canada's main route to permanent residence for skilled workers. You create a profile, get a points score, and wait to be invited. Healthcare and education have their own categories, so you can be invited with a lower score than in a general draw. The new category for doctors is for those with Canadian work experience, so most UK doctors will apply through the healthcare category or a province instead.
Provincial Nominee Programs
Provinces run their own programmes, and many target nurses, doctors and teachers directly because of local shortages. A nomination adds a big boost to your Express Entry score. Rural and northern areas often have the most demand.
Employer-sponsored work permits
Hospitals, health authorities and school boards do recruit from overseas. With a job offer you can often start on a work permit and apply for permanent residence once you're in Canada.
Working holiday
Younger Brits can use International Experience Canada to work in Canada temporarily. It's harder to use in regulated jobs, because you still need to register before you can work, but it can help you gain Canadian experience. Check the age limit and quota on canada.ca.
Moving to Canada from the UK with Your Family
If you get permanent residence through Express Entry, you can include your partner and dependent children on the same application, so the whole family gets permanent residence together. Your partner can be a husband, wife or common-law partner you've lived with for at least a year.
If you move on a work permit first, your partner may be able to get an open work permit, which lets them work for almost any employer in Canada. That's useful in healthcare, where shift work can make childcare hard to arrange. Your children can usually study at a local public school while you're there.
Once you're permanent residents, public schooling is free and your family can join the provincial health plan. Some provinces have a waiting period before health cover starts, so check the rules for your province and arrange private health insurance for the gap.
Questions about moving to Canada as a healthcare or teaching position?
Send us a message and we’ll get back to you within one to two days.
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Getting Registered as a Nurse, Doctor or Teacher in Canada
You can't work as a nurse, doctor or teacher in Canada until you're registered with the regulator in your province. This is separate from your visa, and it often takes longer, so start before you apply to move.
Nurses
Most UK nurses start with the National Nursing Assessment Service, which checks your training and experience. You then apply to the nursing regulator in your province, such as the College of Nurses of Ontario or the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, and usually sit the NCLEX exam. Quebec has its own process and requires French.
Doctors
UK doctors usually start by verifying their qualifications through the Medical Council of Canada, then apply to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in their province. Some provinces have faster routes for UK-trained GPs and specialists, so check the province you want to work in first.
Teachers
Each province certifies its own teachers, such as the Ontario College of Teachers or the Teacher Certification Branch in British Columbia. You'll send your UK degree, teacher training and proof of experience, and some provinces ask for extra courses before you're fully certified.
Express Entry also needs your UK qualification assessed for immigration. This is called an Educational Credential Assessment, and it's separate from registering with the regulator.
