The province continues to recruit nurses and health professionals in the Philippines to help supplement labor shortage in the healthcare system, according to Manitoba Labor and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes — even if their team has come back to Manitoba.
In an interview with 92.7 FM’s Chester Pangan, Reyes considered their recent recruitment trip to the Philippines a success where 350 trained nurses and health-care workers were offered letters of intent following a five-day mission in Manila, Cebu and Iloilo in February.
The Manitoba government delegation was led by Reyes who was joined by clinical leaders and human resource professionals. Fiipino-Canadian Ken Borce, chief of clinical operations at Cancer Care Manitoba also joined the group.
With the government facing backlash for sourcing out labor force when there are foreign-trained nurses who are already in the province but are unable to practice in Manitoba because of the long and expensive accreditation process, Reyes said the College of Registered Nurses has done some steps in transitioning into a smoother pathway for them.
“The government has a plan in place to ensure that skilled and professionals, not only nurses, but those from other fields, will get their credentials recognized in a timely manner. “
Reyes said the trip was in line with the province’s existing Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Philippines.
Born in Canada and son of a man who immigrated from the Philippines in 1968, Reyes shared “I had a huge sense of pride and joy going back to the Philippines. Even if I was born in Canada, I am a Filipino. I go there and saw what my dad experienced coming here and see folks applying was a once in a life time experience for me, with the role that I’m in. To meet so many eager people hoping to work in the province. I am excited to welcome them here.”
As a way to give back to the Philippines, Reyes mentioned that Canada as a whole is looking at providing scholarships to ensure that even those in the remote provinces can have the fair chance to get education in the field they wanted.
With the success of their trip, Reyes said the government is looking at considering extending the recruitment to other minority groups and communities.
To find out more about the ongoing recruitment of nurses and health care professionals in the Philippines, please click https://healthcareersmanitoba.ca/buildyourfuturemb.
Link to the full interview can be found in bit.ly/3ygsk7L.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Minister Jon Reyes)
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