A new wave of American doctors is relocating to Canada in response to what they consider an increasing amount of bureaucracy, practice constraints, and political tensions in the US.

According to the Medical Council of Canada, the number of US medical graduates (USMGs) creating accounts on physiciansapply.ca has increased markedly. Creating these accounts is typically the first step to being licensed to practice medicine in Canada. In the 6-month period from December 2024 through May 2025, USMGs created 585 new accounts compared with just 86 a year earlier.

Bureaucracy and Burnout

US doctors cite what they consider to be a burdensome healthcare system infrastructure, insurance issues, a high degree of oversight, political tensions, and lifestyle factors as the key reasons that they are seeking an alternative to the American healthcare system.

“It was at the height of the pandemic in 2020. I was experiencing incredible burnout and looking for something different. There were a lot of political reasons for wanting to move,” Rob Beck, MD, an internist at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Columbia, told Medscape News Canada. Beck and his wife, also an internist, relocated from Nashville in 2020. “There is less bureaucracy, and there are fewer difficulties in practicing medicine in Canada. No prior authorization for medications or tests is needed, and there are no insurance denials. I can practice how I want to and order the tests and medications that I want. It’s much less of a bureaucratic nightmare,” said Beck.

“In the US, I experienced a lot of partisanship, political division, and animosity from patients. It became such a huge part of everyday American life. Patients started to verbally attack me about mask policies and related issues. It became overwhelming. There is more trust of the medical system here in Canada. In the US, there is an active movement against medical knowledge, science, and truth, and it’s worsening. I’m just happy to be able to take care of patients. That’s why I went to medical school, but I don’t have to do it in the system in which I grew up, or even the place where I grew up. But I’ve felt guilty about leaving the US and all my patients,” said Beck.

When Beck spoke to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in 2025, there were roughly 700-800 people applying for medical licenses.

Nova Scotia’s Open Doors

Nova Scotia has been actively recruiting American physicians. The recruitment rate is 10% higher than last year, and 199 net new doctors made the province their home in fiscal year 2025. The province welcomed 278 new doctors during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, according to its health authority.

Michael Sze, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist who practices at Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, described the American political climate as hostile to science, research, and abortion. “Canada looked like paradise in comparison,” he said. Sze previously worked in New York, Oregon, New Jersey, Hawaii, and, most recently, Pennsylvania. “Canada is English-speaking and allows direct transfer of US credentials. In addition, Canadians are nice, especially in Nova Scotia. My interview experience with the people in Nova Scotia cemented my move here.”

“I objected to the constant meetings to improve Leapfrog evaluations [ie, hospital and healthcare facility assessments], and all the metrics that made no clinical sense and only meant that health organizations received more money from the government. What attracted me to Canada, and Nova Scotia in particular, was the freedom to practice the best medicine I can, with patient care as a priority,” said Sze.

In 2023, family physician Robert Antil, MD, relocated from North Carolina to Toronto, where he practices at Albany Medical Clinic. “I felt disaffected by the healthcare system in the US. My wife and I no longer felt like we fit in where we lived. The culture and the climate of the US have changed dramatically in the past 2 years, and neither of us found it to be a particularly welcoming place. People are so polarized. You’re put on a team, and you can’t cross the line.”

Red tape and record-keeping also seemed excessive to Antil. “Working as a physician in the US, I can’t tell you how many times I’d come home at night and say, ‘Gosh, I wish I could just practice medicine without having to deal with all this paperwork, online patient satisfaction scores, and Press Ganey scores that tie compensation to patients’ evaluations.”

“At my US practice, at best, I could see 30 patients per day. In Toronto, I see 40 patients per day with a tenth of the paperwork. It’s just me and the patient, and we get the job done,” said Antil.

For some US physicians, Canada seems like a safer place to live. “When you walk through a crowded place, you’re not subconsciously looking for the exit in case someone starts shooting. Medicine is still chaotic and gut-wrenching, but there isn’t the same level of danger here,” concluded Beck.

Beck, Sze, and Antil reported having no relevant financial relationships. 

Evra Taylor is a widely published freelance medical writer and reporter with 20 years’ experience covering a broad range of therapeutic sectors, including family health, cardiology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, and dermatology.