Kevin Tardiff did not need much convincing when his wife, Tara, suggested they move to Canada. She had read a Facebook article about British Columbia seeking health-care workers from California, Oregon, and Washington. Tardiff, a registered nurse originally from California, and his wife met while attending university in Oregon, served in the Peace Corps in Morocco, returned to the United States to start a family, and then moved to New Zealand a few years ago. They were eager to relocate closer to their families.
A New Beginning in Nanaimo
“I remember the exact day I walked in through the door, and we were kind of debating about going back to the States, and we weren’t feeling very confident about that. But we also, again, didn’t want to be so far away from our family,” Tardiff said. The couple eventually chose Nanaimo as their destination, attracted by the proximity to family along the Pacific coast, good schools, and affordable health care in B.C. Tardiff noted that it took about six months to obtain the necessary credentials to move to the province. They arrived a few weeks ago.
Adjusting to a New Life
“I don’t think I’ll ever feel settled, and that’s kind of a bummer, but that’s what it is,” Tardiff admitted, though he expressed satisfaction with what he has seen of B.C. so far. He is one of more than 500 American health-care workers who have moved to B.C. since the province launched a $5 million campaign almost a year ago to attract doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. The initiative aimed to address an acute shortage of health-care workers that has left hundreds of thousands of B.C. residents without a family doctor and caused intermittent emergency room closures across the province.
Recruitment Campaign Success
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health, as of April 1, 109 doctors, 315 nurses, 51 nurse practitioners, and 29 other health professionals trained in the United States had moved to the province. The ministry reported receiving 2,900 job applications from U.S. workers between March 2025 and February 2026. B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne expressed delight at the campaign’s success and hopes the influx of American health workers will continue.
“The campaign has far exceeded our expectations in terms of increasing the profile of British Columbia and making that invitation to U.S.-trained professionals to follow their hearts and come to British Columbia and work in our public, universal health-care system,” Osborne said.
Political Motivations
For many of the health-care workers moving to B.C., the political situation in the United States is a significant factor. President Donald Trump’s ongoing actions—targeting opponents, deporting undocumented immigrants, and openly considering nationalizing the election process to prevent a mid-term loss—have driven many to seek a new life north of the border. These professionals are drawn to Canada’s universal health-care system, political stability, and quality of life.
