From the Transvaal to the Prairies: The Migration of South African Physicians to Canada

Abstract

One feature of the effort to reform South Africa's health care system is a ‘medical carousel’ of physicians, with an outflow of South African trained doctors and an inflow from Cuba. Canadian immigration data are used to consider the extent of the out-migration to Canada and to examine the factors influencing this movement. Since it is unlikely that countries such as Canada will voluntarily agree to stop ‘poaching’ doctors, the policy options available to South Africa are considered.