More than 300 health-care workers from the Philippines have accepted jobs in Manitoba according to the provincial government.

Shared Health has provided letters of interest to 348 people who passed interviews during a February 2023 mission to the Philippines. More than 300 of those have accepted job offers.

Candidates who have accepted an offer have begun immigration and licensing processes and are expected to complete specific requirements in the coming months to allow for employment in Manitoba’s health-care system. Individuals are expected to begin arriving in Manitoba as early as late this summer, with arrivals increasing in fall, noted Health Minister Audrey Gordon.

“More than 300 internationally educated health-care professionals have now accepted job offers to work as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or health-care aides in communities located right across our province,” said Gordon. “Our government is committed to healing our health-care system and building our health human resource capacity, so that more patients have access to the care they need.”

The province will be sending assessors from the University of Manitoba nursing faculty to the Philippines in July to complete in-person clinical competency assessments. More than 20 internationally educated nurses have confirmed participation and will be assessed for nursing knowledge and practice during this session.