Managing Health Professional Migration from Sub-Saharan Africa to Canada
Author Information
Author(s): Ronald Labonté, Corinne Packer, Nathan Klassen
Primary Institution: University of Ottawa
Hypothesis
What policy options could Canada pursue that balanced the right to health of Africans losing their health workers with the right of these workers to seek migration to countries such as Canada?
Conclusion
Reducing pull factors by improving domestic supply and reducing push factors by strengthening source country health systems have the greatest policy traction in Canada.
Supporting Evidence
- Canada is a major recipient of foreign-trained health professionals, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa.
- Health professional migration from Africa is increasing, with significant implications for both source and receiving countries.
- Only one of eight policy options received unanimous strong support from stakeholders.
Takeaway
This study looks at how Canada can better manage the migration of health workers from Africa, ensuring that both the needs of Canadian healthcare and the rights of African workers are respected.
Methodology
Interviews with émigré South African physicians and representatives of Canadian health organizations, along with a policy colloquium and analysis of secondary data.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in responses due to the purposive sampling of stakeholders.
Limitations
The sample size was small and the data on foreign-trained health workers was imprecise.
Participant Demographics
Included émigré South African physicians and representatives from Canadian health organizations.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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