Moving to Canada as a GP from the UK

A Quick Answer

Quick answerYou can move to Canada as a UK-trained GP and it’s one of the smoothest international moves you can make. Your MRCGP and CCT are formally recognised which means no further exams. Expect the whole process – from first application to seeing your first patient – to take around 6–12 months, cost you roughly £5,000–£8,000 in fees (before flights and moving) and land you gross earnings in the region of CAD $250,000–$400,000 a year (£145,000–£230,000). Canada is actively recruiting family doctors, your family can come with you on the same application and there’s a clear route to permanent residence.

What are the honest pros and cons of Canada for a UK trained GP?

The pros:

• No exams. Canada treats UK GP training as equivalent so your MRCGP + CCT get's you registered.
• Serious demand. Nearly 6 million Canadians don’t have a family doctor so you won't struggle to find work.
• Better earnings. Most UK GPs roughly double their gross income, and rural posts add signing bonuses and relocation money on top.
• Lifestyle. Space, outdoors, good schools and a work culture where 15-minute appointments and manageable lists are normal.
• Familiar medicine. It's universal, publicly funded healthcare where the clinical job is recognisably general practice.

The cons:

• Paperwork. The route is clear but credential verification can be slow. There's not too much work to do but a reasonable amount of waiting.
• You become self-employed. This makes it lucrative but you'll need to consider paying in to your own pension to fund your retirement.
• Cost of living in the big cities. Vancouver and Toronto house prices rival the UK though other areas are considerably less expensive.
• Distance and winters. You’re a long-haul flight from family and outside BC’s south coast the winters are incredibly cold!
• Strained system. Canada has its own GP crisis - that’s why they want you. Expect pent-up demand from patients who haven’t had a doctor in years.

What qualifications do I need to work as a GP in Canada?

If you’ve come through UK GP training, you already have them. The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) lists the UK as an approved jurisdiction so a GP with GMC-accredited vocational training and MRCGP can get the Canadian family medicine qualification (CCFP) through “Certification Without Examination” - so no Canadian exams at all. 

You’ll need:

• Your primary medical degree (from a school on the World Directory of Medical Schools – all UK schools are)
• CCT in general practice and MRCGP
• Current, unrestricted GMC registration with recent GP practice (no voluntary gaps of more than two years in the last three)
• A clean disciplinary record

Everything gets verified through physiciansapply.ca (Canada’s central credential portal) then you apply to the medical regulator of the province you’re heading to for your licence. Several provinces - BC included - now grant UK GPs a licence without a supervision period.

For the step-by-step registration route, documents, costs and timelines, see our full guide to working as a GP in Canada.

How much do GPs earn in Canada?

The national average gross clinical payment to a family doctor is about CAD $324,000 a year (roughly £187,000). From that you typically pay 20–30% clinic overhead, leaving a pre-tax income of around CAD $230,000–$280,000 for a full-time GP - comfortably more than the UK equivalent and part-time or portfolio working scales accordingly. Rough guide by setting:

Rural and smaller-town posts frequently add signing bonuses of around $20,000, relocation funding of $9,000–$15,000 and annual retention payments. Alberta pairs strong earnings with the lowest provincial taxes; Quebec pays the highest medians but requires French.

For a deeper dive into pay structures, cost of living and how to negotiate the best package, read our full guide to how much GPs earn in Canada.

How long does it take to move to Canada?

Plan on 6–12 months door to door. A typical sequence: credential verification through physiciansapply.ca (3–4 months – the slowest step, start it first), CFPC certification eligibility in parallel (about 3 months), finding a job and getting provincial licence approval (2–3 months) then the work permit itself - physicians get priority processing, often 2–3 weeks. Organised applicants who start the paperwork before job hunting land closer to the 6–month end; if you're not in a hurry it's likely to stretch to a year.

How much does it cost to move to Canada as a GP?

Budget £5,000–£8,000 (roughly CAD $9,000–$14,000) in fees for the professional and immigration side:

• Credential verification (physiciansapply.ca): ~$1,000 across your documents
• CFPC certification: $533 application + $3,518 certification fee
• Provincial licence application and first-year registration: ~$2,000–$3,000
• Work permits and biometrics for the family: a few hundred dollars per person
• Medical indemnity (CMPA): much cheaper than UK indemnity, and often reimbursed by the province

On top of that come flights, shipping and a rental deposit - realistically this could be another £5,000–£10,000 for a family. The good news is that many employers reimburse a chunk of this through relocation packages, especially outside the big cities.

We've helped more than 3,000 doctors make international moves and no two moves are ever the same – if you want some specific advice on your situation then feel free to ask us a question and we'll be happy to help.

Will I be able to get a visa for me and my family?

Yes and this is the easy part. Doctors are on Canada’s priority list. With a job offer you qualify for an LMIA-exempt work permit (your employer doesn’t have to prove no Canadian could do the job) with priority processing for physicians. Your spouse or partner gets an open work permit - they can work for any employer - and your children attend state schools free. From there permanent residence is well within reach and Express Entry runs dedicated healthcare draws in which family physicians are a priority occupation and most GPs qualify for PR within their first couple of years. PR leads to citizenship eligibility after three years if you want it.

Are there plenty of job opportunities for GPs in Canada?

More than plenty. Around one in five Canadians - nearly six million people - has no regular family doctor and every province is recruiting internationally. UK-trained GPs are near the top of every province’s wish list because your training slots straight into their system. You can choose between traditional family practice, walk-in and urgent care, hospitalist work or blended roles - and part-time and flexible arrangements are easy to negotiate because clinics need whatever hours you’ll give them.

For where to search, who to register with and what to check before signing, see our guide to GP jobs in Canada.

Where might I end up working?

• British Columbia - an active recruiter of UK GPs right now. The new LFP payment model has transformed family practice pay and BC grants UK GPs a full licence without supervision. Vancouver is expensive where as Vancouver Island and the interior are the sweet spot.
• Ontario - they have the biggest job market by far from Toronto to small-town practices a couple of hours out.
• Alberta - they have highest take-home once tax is factored in with Calgary and Edmonton offering big-city life at half the property cost of Vancouver.
• Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada - they have aggressive incentive packages, gentler pace and the closest flight home to the UK.

The general rule is that the further you go from downtown Toronto or Vancouver, the more you earn and the more they’ll pay to get you there. A mid-sized town of 20,000–100,000 people is where most UK GPs find the best balance of income, lifestyle and amenities.

Is it worth moving to Canada as a UK trained GP? A summary

For most UK GPs weighing it up the answer is resoundingly, yes. You’re in the rare position of holding a qualification Canada accepts without exams, in a profession Canada is desperate to recruit and with a visa system built to fast-track you and your family. The realistic deal is 6–12 months of admin and around £10,000–£15,000 of upfront costs (much of it often reimbursed) in exchange for roughly double the gross income, more clinical autonomy and a lifestyle upgrade - balanced against distance from home, colder winters and swapping the NHS safety net for running your own billing. If the pull of family in the UK is manageable and you’re comfortable with a bit of paperwork it’s one of the best-value moves in medicine right now. Start the credential verification early, pick your province before you pick your job and the rest tends to fall into place.

FAQs

Do UK trained GPs need to sit exams to work in Canada?

No. MRCGP holders qualify for the Canadian family medicine qualification (CCFP) through the CFPC’s Certification Without Examination route.

How long does the move to Canada take?

Allow 6–12 months from starting your paperwork to seeing your first patient. Credential verification is the slowest step so start it first.

How much does it cost to move to Canada as a GP?

Around £5,000–£8,000 in professional and immigration fees heading up to between £10,000–£15,000 all-in with flights and shipping. Much of it is often reimbursed by employers.

How much do GPs earn in Canada?

Gross billings of roughly CAD $250,000–$400,000 a year which nets around $230,000–$280,000 before tax after clinic overheads.

Can I bring my family to Canada?

Yes. Your spouse or partner receives an open work permit and your children attend state schools free. Permanent residence is a realistic goal within a couple of years.

Which Canadian province is best for UK GPs?

BC recruits UK GPs hardest and pays well under its LFP model. Ontario has the most jobs. Alberta offers the best take-home pay. Atlantic Canada offers the biggest incentives.

Sources

• Certification From Outside Canada — College of Family Physicians of Canada
• physiciansapply.ca — Medical Council of Canada
• Physicians in Canada — Canadian Institute for Health Information
• Family Open Work Permits — Government of Canada (IRCC)
• Express Entry — Government of Canada (IRCC)
• LFP Payment Model — Government of British Columbia
• Provisional Registration (IMGs) — College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC
• General Medical Council — GMC (UK)

Thinking about moving to Canada?

Moving to Canada is a big step for any GP. It's a career move but also a big life change too. If you want to know more about the registration process, what it's like moving overseas, life and work in Canada, how much you'll actually earn, visa processes or anything that's playing on your mind then let me know. I've helped thousands of doctors make international moves so I understand how big a commitment it is and all of the steps along the way. Drop me a message and I'll get back to you or we can arrange a call.

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Equally if you're ready to make the move then take a look over some of our live jobs – if you're looking for something specific I can connect you with hundreds of independent clinics as well as all of the major corporates who are consistently hiring.

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