A Scottish-born midwife, Heather Gilchrist, who sought to immigrate to British Columbia (B.C.), has encountered significant obstacles in her journey. After spending ten years practicing and teaching midwifery in the United Kingdom, Gilchrist completed a bridge program at the University of British Columbia (UBC), which allowed her to gain the necessary accreditation to work as a midwife in Canada. Following her completion of the program, she applied for a work permit from Canadian immigration authorities.
Initially, her application was denied due to a missing English language test, which she was not prompted to submit. However, after providing her English test, her application was reconsidered. Unfortunately, Gilchrist faced another setback when her application was denied again, this time for a different reason: federal immigration officials concluded that UBC's bridge program was not recognized for immigration purposes.
Gilchrist expressed her frustration, stating, “There is nothing further I can do, and I have a flight booked on the 4th of April to go home.” This decision impacts more than just Gilchrist; the UBC bridge program is the sole avenue for internationally-trained midwives to become certified in B.C. If the program is deemed ineligible, it raises concerns that no new midwives will be able to enter the workforce in the province.
In a statement, UBC highlighted that since launching the bridge program in 2015, over 80 internationally educated midwives have successfully completed it. Most of these graduates are now providing essential care to families across B.C. and Canada. Furthermore, Gilchrist’s immigration application included a letter from UBC affirming that she should be eligible for the work permit after graduating from their program. When she raised her concerns with UBC, they indicated that there might be a misunderstanding on the part of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The IRCC has not confirmed whether it recognizes UBC’s midwifery program, despite repeated inquiries. Immigration lawyer Will Tao expressed his concerns, suggesting that immigration officers might invite these kinds of “misunderstandings” due to the increasing controls on temporary immigration. Tao emphasized that if UBC’s midwifery program is indeed ineligible for supporting work permit applications, the situation could worsen given the existing shortages of obstetric care in the province. He remarked, “To be frank, it would be very bad.”
With time running out before her scheduled departure, Gilchrist delivered a poignant message: “Let me get on with my job of caring for my women and my babies. And let me just have a chance to be here, with the promise that you gave me when I came here in the first place.”
This case underscores the complex challenges that internationally-trained professionals face when trying to navigate the Canadian immigration system while highlighting the pressing need for skilled midwives in British Columbia.
