Ontario to bar international medical students

“Starting from the fall of 2026, all Ontario medical schools will be required to allocate at least 95% of all undergraduate seats to residents of Ontario, with the other 5% reserved for students from the rest of Canada,” said Ford in a press briefing on October 25.  

“I’ve just been all over our colleges and universities and there were 18% students from around the world taking our kids’ seats and not even staying here but going back to their country,” Ford claimed.  

According to provincial data, there were 10 international students in Ontario medical schools in 2023/24, making up 0.26% of the total 2,833 students.  

Ford’s unfounded claim that Ontario’s medical schools are made up of 18% international students has sparked outrage in the sector, with Gautham Kolluri, founder of CIP study abroad agency, calling Ford’s claim “totally absurd”.  

“There are hardly any international students getting into Ontario medical schools. The acceptance is very competitive, and priority is given to domestic students.  

“I hear that less than 1% get accepted but I’ve not met or seen any international students getting accepted into an Ontario medical school,” said Kolluri.  

At McMaster University, which has the largest medical school in the province, there are currently 623 undergraduate students from Ontario, 43 from out of province, and one international student.

Against such tiny proportions of international students, stakeholders have accused the provincial government of peddling “propaganda” and harmful rhetoric against international students.

International students made up 0.26% of Ontario’s medical students last year

“So we can recruit them globally but not educate 0.26% here?” asked one immigration consultant on LinkedIn, pointing to the hypocrisy of the new policy. 

In 2021, Ontario welcomed 116,310 internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHPS) to work in the healthcare sector, nearly half of all IEHPs in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. 

Ford also announced a CAD$88 million investment over the next three years in Ontario’s Learn and Stay Grant that covers tuition and direct educational costs for students who commit to practicing family medicine in Ontario after graduating.  

The grant program, also beginning in 2026, will be extended to 1,360 eligible undergraduate students which the province says will allow 1.36 million more Ontarians to connect to primary care.  

The policy announcement comes after a new report which showed 12% of Ontarians do not have a family doctor.  

“The healthcare system in Ontario and Canada is struggling due to the lack of doctors. The provincial and federal governments should make urgent changes to ensure ease of licensing for international medical professionals and increase the seats in medical schools for domestic students,” said Kolluri.  

Earlier this month, the IRCC announced Canada’s new eligibility criteria outlining which college programs will be eligible for post-graduate work permits, taking effect from November 1, 2024.   

The most recent announcement from Premier Ford has raised concerns once again about prospective international students’ perception of Canada as a study destination, further necessitating the sector’s mission to rebuild brand Canada.