Ontario moves ahead with new medical residency law for international graduates.

Ontario says it will introduce legislation to prioritize residents who studied medicine abroad for first-round residency applications after rescinding a prior high-school-based policy; the new law broadens eligibility to include those with two years at an Ontario university or 24 weeks' continuous residency.

Ontario plans to introduce legislation to prioritize international medical graduates who are Ontario residents for first-round residency applications. The announcement follows the government's recent rescission of a fall 2025 policy that had required two years of Ontario high school to qualify. That earlier policy faced a legal challenge and a temporary injunction and was criticized by medical organizations for its potential effects on family medicine programs. The new proposal would broaden eligibility to include students with two years of full-time study at an Ontario university or those who lived in Ontario continuously for at least 24 weeks before applying. Key details: - The fall 2025 policy required international medical graduates to have attended two years of high school in Ontario to qualify for first-round residency applications; it was later rescinded after a court granted a temporary injunction following a legal challenge. - The province says the new legislation will prioritize Ontario residents who studied medicine abroad and will broaden the definition of eligible residents to include two years at an Ontario university or 24 weeks of continuous Ontario residence before applying. - A government statement said the proposal aligns with practices in some other provinces and is intended to improve retention by making it easier for Ontario students who studied abroad to complete training at home. - Medical groups had warned the earlier policy could destabilize family medicine programs, and critics described the prior rule as arbitrary and discriminatory; the article notes the new legislation still places limits on many international medical graduates. Summary: The proposed law would change which international medical graduates can apply in the first round of residency matches and has prompted debate about its effects on doctor supply. The government says the change aims to improve retention and align with other provinces. The legislation is planned to be introduced.