Announcement Of The Introduction Of The Picchini Bill, It Will Be Easier For Health Professionals To Come From The Province

Currently, the government already allows doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and medical lab technologists to come and work from other provinces, provided they register with the relevant regulatory college in Ontario. The bill would add 16 more health professions, including dentists, medical radiation and imaging technologists, midwives, optometrists, pharmacists and psychologists, so that they can also easily work in Ontario.
The bill could introduce an “as-of-right” principle — meaning health workers would be given the right to work without prior approval or additional barriers, provided they meet the appropriate licenses and standards. The move is being seen as important in the context of strengthening provincial health facilities, reducing health-care staff shortages and providing better services to patients.