Ashok Kumar Biswas arrived in Canada with high hopes and impressive credentials. The geriatric public health specialist, once considered among India's top medical graduates, now finds his dreams of practicing medicine in Ontario shattered by recent policy changes.
From Promising Recruitment to Bitter Disappointment
In 2017, Biswas met a Canadian immigration official who actively encouraged his application to come to Canada. The official emphasized Canada's need for doctors and noted that Biswas possessed exactly the qualifications they sought: two post-graduate specialist medical degrees in geriatrics and public health, a decade of global experience, and excellent English language skills.
His application was expedited through the skilled worker program, and he arrived in Canada in 2019. Today, Biswas is a proud Canadian citizen living in Ottawa, but he remains no closer to practicing medicine than when he first arrived.
The Crushing Rule Change
In early October 2025, while actively preparing his residency application, Biswas received devastating news via email. Ontario had implemented new eligibility criteria for internationally trained physicians applying through the Canadian Resident Matching System (CaRMS).
The new rules effectively block most internationally trained doctors from participating in the first round of the highly competitive residency matching process. The only exception is for physicians who completed at least two years of high school in Ontario - a group that primarily consists of Ontario residents who attended medical school overseas.
The remaining internationally trained physicians must compete for whatever positions remain unfilled in the second round, by which time most opportunities have already been taken.
A System Stacked Against International Talent
Biswas describes the recent change as "the cherry on top of what was already a system in which discrimination against internationally trained doctors had been normalized." The system already presented costly hurdles for internationally trained physicians competing for a small number of available residency positions.
When Biswas sought explanations for the eligibility changes, he was directed to speak with provincial politicians. The situation leaves highly qualified medical professionals like Biswas in limbo, despite Canada's well-documented doctor shortages.
The irony is stark: a country that actively recruits skilled medical professionals then implements barriers that prevent them from practicing their profession, leaving specialists like Biswas applying for jobs at Tim Hortons instead of serving in Canadian healthcare facilities.
