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.

We are also committed to helping IMGs and ITPs as they prepare for assessment and their route to licensure in Canada.

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.
Related 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 pathways to licensure in Canada, we have improved accessibility to preparatory resources, added IMGs within our governance, are supporting diverse licensure pathways, and are 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, continues to bring his expertise in a consulting role, advising the MCC as we develop programs and supports for IMGs navigating to practising as physicians in Canada.

Improved navigation tools and resources

Content on the MCC website has been enhanced and expanded to help IMGs better determine their pathways to practising in Canada. Improved support materials include the pathways to licensure page, a pre-arrival page with information on the steps that can be completed before arriving in Canada, as well as a page outlining the dedicated pathways for U.S. medical graduates and physicians.
We launched a database of freely available, Canadian-sourced resources to assist candidates as they prepare for MCC examinations and for practice in Canada. These six resource maps contain recommended content in social and cultural areas of practice that may be unfamiliar to IMGs and ITPs.
We released a new set of free resources designed to support candidates preparing for the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination, including two videos and three sample cases offering insight into what to expect on exam day, how to approach Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations, and how to communicate effectively with standardized participants (SPs).
In July 2026, we released eight free sample cases reflecting the style and format of the Therapeutics Decision–Making (TDM) Examination, marking the first official resource available to candidates taking this examination. Alongside this resource, we added core TDM Examination topics to our website, sharing with candidates those topics that guide the development of exam content.
The ongoing modernization of the physiciansapply.ca portal will make it easier, more efficient, and even more secure for applicants to upload their medical credentials directly to the platform for verification.
In July 2026, we released an additional preparation resource with the $1 Preparatory Examination (PE) , as part of our commitment to improving access to official exam preparation materials. With the 55 free multiple-choice questions we launched in July 2025, candidates now have access to 785 unique MCCQE practice questions across all MCC products.
In partnership with Dr. Filipe Santos, we released Physician Licensing in Canada, a free eBook available on the MCC website. The eBook is a practical guide to clinical assistant, associate physician, and Practice-Ready Assessment pathways, supporting IMGs and ITPs to identify which provinces and programs best match their qualifications and experience. We also launched Study smarter: A study guide for the MCCQE, in collaboration with Dr. Filipe Santos. This is a practical guide offering a clear overview of the MCCQE Blueprint and Examination Objectives, alongside a sample study plan.

Community Building

In February 2025, the MCC began hosting webinars oriented at supporting IMGs and ITPs. More than 6,000 signed up to attend the first entitled Practising medicine in Canada – Navigating the pathways to licensure for IMGs. Subsequent sessions have covered what MCC exams measure, ethical and cultural issues in Canadian practice, and pathways to specialist licensure. These free webinars are now offered twice a year.
Delegates from the MCC met directly with IMGs at the IMG Conference & Expo and the conference of the International Association for Health Professions Education (AMEE) in 2024,2025, and 2026, with plans for continued attendance going forward.
We continue to strengthen relationships with IMG interest groups in Canada and with international medical schools that have Canadians studying abroad. Through these engagements, we are exploring opportunities for greater collaboration to better support all candidates on their journey to practising medicine in Canada.

What’s next?

Governance

The MCC is committed to continued collaboration through the IMG Alliance, recruiting new members, setting agendas and identifying priorities.
In 2026, led by Dr. Sarita Verma, the IMG Alliance formed three working groups that delved into areas of shared interest; Canada’s pathways to licensure, building capacity, and workforce integration, and ensure IMG success.

Improved supports for IMGs

As part of our commitment to supporting IMGs, the MCC will continue evolving and expanding our preparation and navigation resources, and will continue to use candidate feedback to develop and improve these materials.

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.