Follow Your Heart to B.C.
No matter where in British Columbia you live, you have likely had a conversation with friends or family about health care. From kitchen tables to boardrooms, we are all discussing how our current system will continue to support the changing needs of our population.
It’s an important topic, both at the provincial and federal level, as universal health care is viewed as a foundational right for all living in Canada. Our health-care system is so beloved that Tommy Douglas, the former Saskatchewan premier credited with founding it, was once voted as Canada’s greatest person.
So, what is British Columbia doing to ensure it continues to grow with us?
Focused on the future
Earlier this spring, Health Minister Josie Osborne announced that the government of B.C. was taking steps to attract more health-care professionals from the United States by fast-tracking credential recognition and launching a targeted recruitment campaign. Plans were also announced to make it easier for trained health care workers from other countries to have their credentials recognized.
As a result, BCHealthCareers.ca has become a vital tool to support these much-needed health professionals as they navigate this process.
Webinars will be held for health professionals interested in coming to B.C. to learn more about this incredible opportunity. Be sure to check the News & Events page to register for an upcoming webinar and see updates and schedules.
What is BCHealthCareers.ca?
BCHealthCareers.ca is a resource that works in partnership with health authorities, regulatory colleges, organizations and other partners to connect health professionals to jobs in British Columbia.
The website is primarily focused on recruiting:
- Physicians: Medical professionals who help diagnose and treat health concerns, including family doctors, specialists, and associate physicians. If you are looking for a family doctor, be sure to add your name to the B.C. Health Connect Registry.
- Nurse Practitioners: Health care providers with graduate level clinical education that autonomously diagnose and treat medical conditions, help patients prevent illness, manage care and provide access to specialized care when needed.
- Nurses: Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs) provide nursing services to promote, maintain, and restore health and prevent illness.
- Allied Health Workers: Professionals who provide a range of preventative, diagnostic, technical and therapeutic services. These can include physiotherapists, occupational therapists and medical laboratory technologists.
In short, the website is designed to attract a broad range of talent to ensure the health needs of everyone in British Columbia are met. And so far, the response has been positive. This initiative builds on recent marketing campaigns undertaken in the U.K. and Ireland last year to attract health professionals to B.C., and complements the work that B.C. is doing to fast-track credential recognition for health professionals from other countries and provinces.
Since announcing the recruitment campaign in March, nearly 1,600 American nurses, doctors and allied health professionals have expressed interest in working in British Columbia.
How can I become a health-care professional?
While the objective of BCHealthCareers.ca is to connect health-care professionals with current job openings, there are additional government-funded programs to help individuals already living in B.C. become a health care assistant or a mental health and addictions worker. Visit the Health Career Access Program (HCAP) to learn more.
If you or someone you know is interested in developing a career in health care, be sure to also visit WorkBC.ca’s Career Profiles to learn about potential career opportunities.
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