The same number of physicians moved to Canada as moved from it in 1999, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reports. That year 585 physicians, mostly male specialists, left the country — 3; more than in 1998. However, another 586 physicians entered the country: 343 returned after living abroad (up 7% from the previous year) and another 243 became landed immigrants.
Jennifer Zelmer, coauthor of Health Care in Canada 2001, says the totals aren't as black and white as they appear. For instance, foreign-trained physicians enter the country using several methods, including temporary work visas and landed immigration, but the number who are eventually licensed to practise isn't known. “I wish we could simply stand at the border with a counter, but it's not that simple,” Zelmer said. Physician migration occurs in cycles: there was a peak in the mid-to-late 1970s, followed by a smaller peak in the mid-1990s.
CIHI data also show that more physicians are moving within Canada. Slightly more than 800 doctors (excluding residents) moved from one province to another during 1999. Quebec had the highest net loss of physicians (78) while Ontario had the largest gain (119).
The data indicate that physicians are the third largest group of regulated health professionals after registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. In 1999, 56 900 nonmilitary physicians were in clinical and nonclinical practice in Canada.