5 top immigration destinations for Nigerian medical doctors, nurses
The immigration of Nigerian doctors and nurses to other countries is to seek better opportunities in various factors, such as better working conditions, higher salaries, and professional development.
The quest for professional development and higher earnings has posed a serious challenge to the healthcare system in Nigeria.
This migration wave became more intense during the time of the COVID-19 crisis when there was a call for doctors and nurses from various parts of the world, especially from OECD countries which Nigeria happens to be among the list of top 20 countries of origin for foreign-trained or foreign-born doctors and nurses working in OECD countries.
Here are five immigration destinations for Nigerian medical doctors, nurses
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is one of the countries facing one of the most severe healthcare worker shortages and has several openings for healthcare workers.
Due to the high demand for health care professionals in the county, over 1,600 Nigerian-trained doctors joined the UK workforce in the past year, making Nigeria the third-largest source of international medical graduates in the country, behind India and Pakistan.
The UK medical system is well structured and has a competitive salary that attracts foreign professionals.
United States of America
The United States of America is another country suitable for Nigerian doctors and nurses to migrate due to its various visa programmes that facilitate easy entry for medical graduates from Nigeria and the availability of technology to enhance medical practices.
Presently, the US is especially in need of specialists in various fields such as Family medicine, Internal medicine, Emergency medicine, Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Neurology, Radiology, Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, and Cardiology.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)/Qatar
United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar are other good destinations for Nigerian doctors and nurses, especially those with a bachelor’s degree seeking to migrate to other countries.
In the UAE, cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer competitive salaries and tax-free earnings, along with modern healthcare facilities while Qatar offers attractive compensation packages, including housing allowances and educational benefits for expatriates.
Nigerian surgeon, Ayo Aranmolate speaks on global medical collaboration, US training
Canada
Canada is on this list due to its easy immigration policy and the assurance of a good life. The country is presently faced with about 60,000 shortage of health workers according to Canadian Nurses Association.
To meet this shortage, Canada opened its gates to allow trained health practitioners and offered full permanent residency in the Federal Skilled Worker Immigration Programme
Australia
Last on this list are Australian hospitals and healthcare centres especially in rural areas are in high demand for healthcare professionals which has led to massive recruitment internationally to fill the gaps in their workforce.
Nigerian doctors and nurses find Australia a nice place to practice due to its quality healthcare system, good salary packages, and supportive visa pathways like the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa.
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