Manitoba NDP Lays out 5-point Plan to Hire More Internationally Educated Health Professionals
September 15, 2023 | Treaty 1 and Dakota Territory, Homeland of the Red River Métis, Winnipeg MB - Today, Leader of the Manitoba NDP Wab Kinew announced his 5-step plan to streamline credentialing and registration for internationally educated health professionals.
“Health professionals have come from around the world to work here and care for Manitobans. But Heather Stefanson is putting up roadblocks instead of helping them get to work on the frontlines,” said Kinew. “Instead of leaving IEHPs on their own, we’ll work with colleges and the health care sector to help these valuable health care workers get their credentials recognized sooner. This is an important step in our plan to fix the staffing crisis.”
Under Heather Stefanson, IEHPs face unfair barriers, high costs and long waits in order to provide healthcare in Manitoba. Many IEHPs get stuck in a cycle of bureaucracy, waiting for as long as 7 years before they can work in the profession they trained for and paying up thousands of dollars just to start the process. Manitoba’s treatment of IEHPs has pushed them out of the province to find training and eventually provide healthcare in other parts of the country, such as Ontario and Quebec.
The Manitoba NDP will streamline the credentialing and registration process with a 5-step plan:
- Creating a Newcomer Workplace Navigator Office within the Government of Manitoba to support IEHPs through the credentialling and registration process.
- Waiving the permanent residence requirement for language courses.
- Providing financial aid for IEHPs taking required courses.
- Working towards creating more opportunities for practice clinic hours in the province
- Bringing colleges, academic institutions, and health employers together to collaborate on registering more health professionals and reversing the PCs cut to health coverage for international students.
“Under Heather Stefanson, IEHPs are being driven away from our province,” said Notre Dame NDP candidate Malaya Marcelino. “A Manitoba NDP government will make credentialing and registration more fair. With our government, you’ll be able to work in your profession without barriers and build a good life here in Manitoba.”
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