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Training & careers · Working abroad

Moving to Canada as a UK GP

A practical guide for UK-trained GPs considering Canada: registration, provincial licensing, immigration, costs, jobs, income and what UK GPs who have moved actually report.

This guide takes you through the process from MRCGP and CCT to provincial registration, immigration and choosing your first Canadian practice.

Last reviewed:

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At a glance

Is UK GP training recognised?

Yes. GMC-accredited UK GP training with MRCGP is included in the CFPC equivalent-jurisdiction pathway, subject to current eligibility and credential requirements.

Do I need Canadian GP exams?

Not necessarily. Ontario currently permits eligible UK-trained family physicians with examination-free CFPC certification to register independently without further exams, supervision or assessment. Other provinces set their own rules.

Can I start before CCT?

You can prepare during ST3: compare provinces, discuss jobs and organise documents. Qualification-dependent stages generally require MRCGP and CCT evidence.

How much does it cost?

Several thousand pounds is a planning assumption. CFPC application and certification fees total C$4,051 as of March 2026, before other professional, immigration and relocation costs.

Is the pay better?

It can be, but there is no useful single Canadian GP salary. Billings, overhead, tax, pension saving, leave and the payment model all matter.

Official route and fee details: CFPC (opens in a new tab) and CPSO (opens in a new tab). Preparation is practical guidance informed by UK GP accounts.

The central distinction

The key thing to understand: Canada is province-specific

Two systems overlap. Professional recognition means eligible UK GP training and MRCGP can be recognised through the CFPC pathway (opens in a new tab). A licence to practise comes from the medical regulator in the province where you intend to work.

Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta can differ in licensing, contracts, payment models and working experience. CFPC certification alone is not a licence to practise anywhere in Canada.

Choose your province early.Check that regulator’s current route before investing heavily in an application or accepting a clinic offer.
Process

Your route, from CCT to practice

  1. 01MRCGP + CCT
  2. 02Choose a province
  3. 03Credential verification
  4. 04CFPC / provincial licensing
  5. 05Secure or confirm a job
  6. 06Immigration / work authorisation
  7. 07Provincial licence
  8. 08Start practice

Some stages overlap. For example, a provincial regulator may need to confirm eligibility before CFPC certification is finalised. Follow the current CFPC application sequence (opens in a new tab) and your chosen regulator’s instructions.

Timing

When should I start?

During ST3

Research provinces, speak to employers or recruiters, prepare a CV, organise documents, understand credential verification and consider immigration routes.

UK GP experience: accounts describe starting preparation during ST3, rather than waiting until after CCT. Read one account (opens in a new tab).

After MRCGP/CCT

Complete qualification-dependent verification and certification stages once the required documents are available. The exact order depends on your province and immigration route.

If you hope to move soon after CCT, begin the administrative preparation beforehand. Do not assume every formal application can be submitted before CCT.

Official pathways

Registration and licensing

The broad route is UK GP qualification → source verification → CFPC recognition or certification → provincial regulator → provincial licence. The stages may interact, so use your chosen regulator’s current sequence.

CFPC’s equivalent-jurisdiction guidance (opens in a new tab) lists GMC-accredited GP training and MRCGP, with source verification of relevant credentials. Documents may include your medical degree, MRCGP, CCT or training evidence and professional-standing records. Medical Council of Canada (opens in a new tab) services can add verification fees.

Ontario

CPSO currently states (opens in a new tab) that eligible UK-trained family physicians holding CFPC certification without examination can obtain independent registration without further examinations, supervision or assessment.

Alberta

Alberta’s approved-jurisdiction route (opens in a new tab) includes eligible UK family physicians and removes several examination or assessment requirements used in other pathways. Eligibility is assessed individually.

British Columbia

British Columbia has its own licensing requirements and payment arrangements. Check the current College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia route directly before committing to a job; Ontario’s rules do not apply there.

Dated estimate

What will it cost?

There is no reliable single total. Provincial registration, immigration and relocation costs vary.

CFPC applicationC$533
CFPC certificationC$3,518
CFPC totalC$4,051

CFPC equivalent-jurisdiction fees effective March 2026; check the current CFPC fee schedule (opens in a new tab) before applying.

Allow separately for credential verification, provincial registration, professional-standing documents, police checks, immigration, medical examinations, professional insurance and relocation.

UK GP experience — not a fixed feeTwo UK GP accounts reported professional-registration expenditure in the region of £5,000. Account one (opens in a new tab) · Account two (opens in a new tab).

Planning assumption: expect the professional move to cost several thousand pounds before household relocation. This is not a guaranteed budget.

Separate process

Medical registration and immigration are separate

A medical licence does not itself give you permission to live or work in Canada. Your route depends on your circumstances, province and job offer.

IRCC describes 2026 physician measures (opens in a new tab), including up to 5,000 federal immigration spaces associated with provincial or territorial nominations. Eligible nominated physicians may seek faster work-permit processing while permanent residence is considered.

14 days is a processing target, not a promiseIRCC describes (opens in a new tab) 14-day processing for eligible physician applications. Its conditions include an eligible full-time job offer, provincial or territorial nomination support, required employer documents, a complete application, a medical exam and timely biometrics where required.

The physician-specific Express Entry category (opens in a new tab) currently requires at least one year of Canadian physician work in the preceding three years, so it is not automatically the initial route for someone moving directly from the UK. Provincial nomination or a general Express Entry programme (opens in a new tab) may be relevant if personally eligible.

This is general orientation, not personalised immigration advice. Check current IRCC and provincial guidance before applying.

UK GP experience and practical checks

Finding a job and assessing the contract

UK GP accounts often describe finding interested clinics as easier than navigating registration. That is lived experience, not a guarantee. Recruiters may help identify clinics, coordinate paperwork, obtain employer immigration documents or arrange relocation support. Read one mover’s account (opens in a new tab).

Being offered a job is not the same as being offered a good contract.Ask for the payment and workload details in writing before deciding.

Contract questions to take to the clinic

  • How am I paid?
  • What is the clinic overhead or service fee?
  • Which professional expenses are included?
  • How many patients are expected?
  • How long are appointments?
  • Is there a minimum patient volume?
  • How is administration paid?
  • Is annual leave paid or unpaid?
  • What happens if I am sick?
  • Is there a pension contribution?
  • Must I build my own patient panel?
  • Is relocation assistance provided?
  • Is there a minimum contract period?
  • Are there repayment clauses?
  • Are there restrictive covenants?
  • Can I incorporate?
Payment models

Do not compare Canadian billings with a UK salary

  1. Gross clinical revenue
  2. Minus clinic overhead or service fee
  3. Minus professional expenses
  4. Professional income before personal or company tax

Then account separately for pension saving, unpaid leave, sick leave, insurance and accountancy or incorporation. Payment models differ by province and clinic. There is no meaningful single “Canadian GP salary”.

Real examples, not benchmarks

Toronto

One UK GP reported approximately C$23,000 monthly billings, 25% clinic overhead and no guaranteed employer pension or paid leave.

Individual UK GP experience — not a national average. Source (opens in a new tab).
Ontario

Another mover reported about 25% overhead and anticipated around C$350,000 annual income after overhead.

Individual UK GP experience — not a national average. Source (opens in a new tab).
British Columbia

A UK GP described approximately C$311,000 base remuneration, first-year bonuses and separate overhead support.

Individual UK GP experience — not a national average. Source (opens in a new tab).

What is the working day actually like?

Some UK GPs report 15–20 minute appointments, around 20–25 patients a day, more diary control, broader scope and easier access to some investigations. Other accounts describe higher-volume urban fee-for-service work. These are individual reports, not Canadian norms. Ontario account (opens in a new tab) · BC account (opens in a new tab) · Toronto account (opens in a new tab).

The clinic matters almost as much as the country.

Where you work matters

Province snapshot

Ontario

Particularly streamlined current licensing route for eligible UK-trained family physicians. Clinic terms still vary.

British Columbia

Different provincial payment and practice models; UK GP experiences can differ substantially from Ontario.

Alberta

Approved-jurisdiction licensing route available to eligible UK family physicians.

First-hand reports

What UK GPs report after moving

The following themes come from UK doctors who have moved to Canada. They are useful context, not official guidance.

Positives reported

Greater autonomy, more control over scheduling, potentially attractive remuneration and a broader family-medicine scope.

Cautions reported

Billings are not salary. Overhead, unpaid leave, pension saving, patient volume, housing costs, province and payment model affect the result.

Some UK GPs report being substantially better off. Others find a much smaller financial advantage once they compare hours, overhead, leave, pension and previous UK locum income. The disagreement is useful: compare net income against the workload and lifestyle you actually want. Toronto discussion (opens in a new tab) · BC discussion (opens in a new tab).

Practical preparation

Canada moving checklist

Use these as prompts; confirm the formal order with your chosen province and immigration route. Ticks on this page are temporary.

Evidence and review

Sources

Official sources

For British Columbia, check the current College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia guidance before applying.

First-hand experience sources

These accounts illustrate workload, costs and employment arrangements. They are individual experiences, not regulatory or financial guidance.

Last reviewed: . Registration, fees and immigration rules can change. Check the linked regulator or government source before submitting an application.