Government says it now has highest rate in Canada for same-day or next-day access to health-care provider
The Manitoba government’s campaign to recruit physicians from the United States is proving to be fruitful, it says.
The provincial government has recruited 13 U.S.-trained physicians to practise in communities across the province as part of a broader effort to improve access to family doctors and primary care, Premier Wab Kinew and Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara have announced.
The new recruits, hired through Manitoba’s Health Care Retention and Recruitment Office, build on what the province describes as a “historic increase of 285 doctors” added to Manitoba’s health-care system in 2025.
The recruitment initiative is being supported by medinav.ca, a provincial online booking platform designed to connect patients more quickly with family physicians and clinics, the Manitoba government said. The system facilitated nearly 50,000 visits in 2025 across Manitoba.
“With more doctors, new after-hours clinics and online same-day booking, we are making it easier than ever to see a doctor when you need to,” Kinew said in a statement released by the Manitoba government. “As part of our commitment to make health care better for families, we are proud to welcome American doctors to Manitoba. We are committed to supporting them and all front-line health-care workers as we work together to deliver better health care to Manitobans.”
Publicly funded healthcare
One of the newly recruited physicians is Dr. Jesse Krikorian, a U.S.-trained family doctor who has joined Klinic Community Health in Winnipeg. He is part of what the Manitoba government describes as a growing group of U.S.-trained doctors choosing to practise in the province across a range of specialties, including both primary and specialty care.
“After practising in the United States, I’m grateful to be working in Canada’s publicly funded health-care system, where patients aren’t held back by costs and access to care is based on need, not income,” Krikorian said. “I don’t spend my lunch hour on the phone with insurance companies anymore and I’m able to focus my time on caring for patients. Manitoba is a strong place to practise medicine right now because it respects physician autonomy, upholds human rights and the lifestyle that this province affords is excellent.”
The province’s physician recruitment efforts are being led by the Health Care Retention and Recruitment Office, which is focusing on international recruitment and providing support with licensing, immigration and community placement, the Manitoba government said. Through these efforts, 58 physicians have been hired, including internationally trained doctors, and placed in communities across Manitoba.
Previously, Manitoba made it easier for internationally trained doctors to come to the province and enter its health-care workforce, making changes to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) General Regulation, so internationally educated physicians in specific membership classes will no longer be required to pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCCQE1) before registering and practising in Manitoba.
Faster access to physicians
The province cited data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicating Manitoba now has the highest rate in Canada for same-day or next-day access to a health-care provider, “more than any other province,” according to the Manitoba government.
Asagwara said Manitoba’s appeal to U.S.-trained doctors centres on professional focus and system stability. “Physicians from the United States are choosing Manitoba because they want to focus on patient care in a stable, publicly funded health-care system and provide the kind of care they want,” Asagwara said.
“Every physician’s decision to practise here means patients can see a doctor sooner, care teams are better supported and communities across Manitoba have more reliable access to care. While the previous government drove doctors out of the province, we are recruiting them to ensure every family in Manitoba can see a doctor right away.”
In mid-June, the provincial government launched a new campaign to recruit U.S.-trained doctors. Before that, Manitoba provided internationally trained nurses from the U.S. with access to an expedited pathway to migrating and practicing their profession in the province.
