140 U.S. health-care workers accepting job offers in B.C.: health minister
Posted September 22, 2025 9:17 am.
Last Updated September 22, 2025 12:53 pm.
The provincial government boasted success Monday in its effort to recruit doctors and nurses from the United States.
At a media event, Health Minister Josie Osborne announced that 140 U.S. health-care workers had accepted job offers in B.C. since May.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“This includes eight allied health professionals, 80 nurses, 16 nurse practitioners and 38 doctors,” Osborne explained.
She says B.C. has received nearly 1,400 applications and nearly 3,000 health-care workers have expressed interest.
Osborne could not answer a question about how many of those accepting job offers intended to work in the province’s rural communities, where recent staffing shortages have been most acutely felt.
“We need doctors, physicians, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals in communities large and small, and will continue to do everything we can to incentivize people to move out into rural communities.”
A bylaw by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC), allowing U.S. doctors with certain certifications to become fully licensed in B.C., came into effect on July 7. The college reportedly received 29 applications for registration from American doctors.
The province set aside $4 billion in this year’s provincial budget for health care, which included plans for hiring more staff. Premier David Eby also announced cutting application wait times for nurses from four months to a matter of days.
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