International medical student
First-round international graduate applicants would require at least 2-year connection to Ontario
Allison Jones · The Canadian Press
Posted: Apr 17, 2026
Ontario is embedding in legislation a policy that would give priority for medical residency positions to applicants with a connection to the province.
The health ministry made headlines last week for rescinding a nearly identical policy amid a court case over it, but they actually withdrew the policy in order to legislate it.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones says they want to give priority to Ontarians, including people from the province who may have left to study medicine abroad but want to return home to practice.
A two-round process matches medical graduates with residency positions and the now-rescinded policy would have saved first-round international graduate spots for people who attended high school in Ontario for at least two years.
The proposed new policy would ensure a dedicated first-round stream for international medical graduates who went to an Ontario high school for at least two years, or attended an Ontario university in person for at least two years, or lived in Ontario for at least 24 weeks in the year leading up to their application.
Read more at CBC.ca
