Distribution and Migration of Recent Healthcare Graduates in Canada.

Abstract

Introduction: Although data on new graduates are available and typically included in the health workforce planning (HWP) model, information on their interprovincial migration pattern is less known. This paper aims to understand the mobility pattern of recent healthcare graduates - family physicians and regulated nurses - across the different Canadian jurisdictions.

Methodology: Health workforce data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) were used to identify recent family physician and regulated nurse graduates. We identified new graduates (between 2015 and 2019) in a particular province and distributed them according to the province/territory in which they registered to practise.

Results: The jurisdiction where they are trained is a key factor in determining their migration rates. For both professions, Ontario and British Columbia have the lowest rates of new graduate out-migration and the highest rates of in-migration, leaving them with a positive net interprovincial migration.

Discussion: This analysis can be used to inform better HWP at the jurisdictional level in these professions.

Conclusion: Working and community conditions matter to keep and attract new graduates.