We will assist IMGs as they navigate to practising as physicians or in other medical roles in Canada

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC), together with the interested parties we work with, recognizes the importance of helping international medical graduates (IMGs) and internationally trained physicians (ITPs) be part of the health care solution for patients in Canada.

We are committed to supporting medical regulatory authorities (MRAs) as they address their population’s health care needs by aiding in the requirements, introduction, and implementation of additional pathways to licensure.

Action plans

Develop strategies to amplify the engagement and participation of IMGs in MCC governance, ensuring their perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes.
Support MRAs by assisting in the establishment, formalization, and dissemination of additional pathways to licensure, while increasing awareness of these opportunities among IMGs.
Advance the development and promotion of preparatory materials to support IMG success across the MCC assessments, utilizing advanced technologies and methodologies to enhance effectiveness and accessibility.
Continuously evaluate and refine our technology and process to ensure a clearer and more expeditious candidate experience.

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Representation of IMGs in MCC governance is a KPI that measures and values the importance of IMG voices and lived experiences in the MCC’s strategic planning and decision-making processes. The inclusion of IMG perspectives helps ensure their challenges are addressed in addition to regulatory requirements.
The level of awareness, usage, and satisfaction of IMGs with the MCC’s preparatory products is a KPI. It measures how effectively these resources support IMGs in preparing for their medical careers in Canada, indicating the quality and relevance of the materials.
Service-level target KPIs include:
- Source verification timelines measure the time taken to verify the credentials and qualifications of IMGs.
- Error rate tracking measures the accuracy of the source verification process, aiming to minimize mistakes and ensure reliability.
- Rejection risk evaluates the likelihood of applications and credentials being rejected due to errors or incomplete information.

Progress towards this objective

To assist IMGs and ITPs on their paths to licensure in Canada, we are committed to improving accessibility to preparatory resources, representing IMGs in our governance, supporting diverse licensure pathways, and upholding exemplary service standards to ensure the successful integration of IMGs into the Canadian health care workforce. Recent updates include:

IMG representation

Dr. Martina Reslerova, an internationally trained physician-educator with experience in the assessment and training of IMGs, joined the MCC Council in March 2024.
Dr. Filipe Santos, physician and educator, joined the MCC as an IMG special advisor in March 2025 to help provide more support for IMGs as they navigate to practising as physicians in Canada.

Improved tools and resources

Enhanced mcc.ca content, including the pathways to licensure page, can help IMGs determine what steps they need to take to practise in Canada; we have also added a pre-arrival page with information on the steps that can be completed before coming to Canada, as well as a page outlining the dedicated pathways for U.S. medical graduates and physicians.
The launch of a database of free resources to assist candidates as they prepare for MCC examinations, including resources to help IMGs and ITPs understand the cultural aspects of practising medicine in Canada.
The modernization of the physiciansapply.ca portal makes it easier and safer for applicants to upload their medical credentials directly to the platform for verification.
A new preparatory examination (PE) and a new PE-Lite product that align with the updated MCCQE Part I were launched in December 2024 to help IMGs prepare for our examinations.
In partnership with Dr. Filipe Santos, the MCC released Physician Licensing in Canada, a free eBook available on the MCC website. This resource provides IMGs and ITPs with detailed information on licensure pathways, as well as provincial and territorial requirements.

Community Building

The MCC hosted its first webinar, Practising medicine in Canada – Navigating the pathways to licensure for IMGs, in February 2025. More than 6,000 people signed up to attend.
The MCC delegates met with IMGs at the IMG Conference & Expo and the conference of the International Association for Health Professions Education (AMEE) in 2024 and 2025, with plans for continued attendance going forward.

What’s next?

Governance

The MCC is committed to continued collaboration through the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) IMG Alliance, recruiting new members, setting a new agenda, and sharing best practices and novel approaches for assessing IMGs in Canada across jurisdictions and organizations.

Improved supports for IMGs

The MCC will develop additional preparatory product offerings in phases, based on feedback from candidates.
An ongoing webinar series will enable IMG and ITP candidates to hear directly from experts about licensure issues.

Updates to physiciansapply.ca

The ongoing physicianapply.ca modernization project will continue to improve the platform, making it easier for candidates to navigate while enhancing overall security and simplifying maintenance.

Improved transparency in source verification of credentials

A planned comprehensive review of the entire source verification process, along with new technological solutions, will improve transparency and efficiency for IMG credentials.