This edition of the WES Roundup will be the last. When I approached WES Canada three years ago to share their valuable internal weekly news roundup on my site, I was thrilled that they agreed. Their focused summary of important sector news, reports, and trends has benefited our entire community. I want to thank WES Canada for their trust and partnership over the years. I encourage you to sign up for the WES Social Impact Newsletter to stay informed about their activities in the sector.
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. The weekly roundup includes research, stories, and events of interest to the Canadian immigration and settlement community. This content has been created by WES and is reproduced here with their permission, in partnership.
In October 2025, Premier Doug Ford unexpectedly introduced new requirements for internationally trained medical graduates (IMGs) in Ontario. Under the policy, applicants would need to have completed at least two years of high school in Ontario to be considered in the first round of residency matching. The legislation was quickly challenged in court, and on December 4, an Ontario judge granted a temporary injunction pausing the policy. As a result, the residency application deadline was extended from November 27 to December 8 to allow affected applicants to submit their materials.
In the ruling, the judge noted that the policy clearly discriminates against IMGs and unfairly excludes permanent residents and Canadian citizens from pursuing medical training in Ontario based solely on where they attended high school. The court rejected the provincial government’s argument that the requirement was intended to “ensure Ontario residency positions are occupied by individuals that have demonstrated long-standing connection to the province.” Residency placement is already a highly competitive process, with roughly 92% of positions filled in the first round. Critics argue that disqualifying individuals who did not attend high school in Ontario would drive some of the most qualified doctors out of the province or force them to abandon their specialty training altogether—ultimately worsening the country’s ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals.
While the injunction provides temporary relief for many IMGs, the sudden policy change has eroded trust and heightened concerns that further unexpected barriers may arise as they work toward practicing medicine in Canada.
Related news:
In Canada, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up over 99.7% of employer businesses and employ 63.6% of private-sector workers. Despite their critical role in the Canadian economy, SMEs continue to face persistent labour and skills shortages that limit their capacity for growth.
A recent study by Toronto Metropolitan University explored the experiences of business owners to better understand the labour challenges confronting SMEs. Among the issues identified, one of the most significant is difficulty attracting applicants. Smaller organizations often lack the capacity, resources, and human resources management practices needed to effectively recruit and hire candidates. Half of the surveyed firms reported having hired immigrants—including economic immigrants, international students, and refugees—and expressed a willingness to continue doing so in the future.
The study also highlights regional differences: while hiring challenges exist nationwide, SMEs in Atlantic and Western Canada report higher incidences, underscoring the need for region-specific interventions. Immigrants can help alleviate some of these labour pressures and improve retention rates across the country. However, recent reductions in immigration target levels may significantly impact Canada’s ability to meet these labour needs moving forward
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