No changes to Filipino health-care worker recruitment program: NDP

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This article was published 13/03/2024 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The NDP government says no immediate changes are being considered to make it easier for Filipino health-care workers offered jobs in Manitoba hospitals and care homes to join the bedside.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Wednesday the recruitment initiative launched by the former Progressive Conservative government in February 2023 has brought 51 Filipino health-care workers, including 11 nurses, to the province out of more than 300 positions offered during an international mission last year.

“We welcome and thank all of them for joining our health-care team here in Manitoba, but that is markedly short of the target that the previous PC government set,” Asagwara said.

The health minister was forced to address criticisms the NDP government is not doing enough, after Tory MLA Kathleen Cook said Filipino nurse recruits are having their jobs rescinded after failing clinical competence assessments (CCA) and being unable to secure a spot in bridging education programs.

Cook, rookie MLA for Roblin, said she is aware of up to 35 such recruits who have completed immigration requirements but were unsuccessful at completing the CCA required by the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba.

She tabled emails and a letter from the chief human resources officer at the Health Sciences Centre in question period that indicate those nurse recruits were awaiting direction from Shared Health about how to move forward.

The documents state the employment offer was withdrawn after the candidate failed to meet certain conditions within a required six-month period.

“These nurses have been trying to go through proper channels and were quite deep into the recruitment process, working with Shared Health for months and they didn’t get anywhere,” Cook said.

“They want to come here to work. Manitoba needs every nurse and every health-care aide that it can get.”

Cook said the nurse recruits should instead be offered jobs as health-care aides — something they’re open to pursuing if the province would allow it.

“If there are internationally trained nurses who can’t for whatever reason be certified as nurses here in Manitoba, why wouldn’t we take them as health-care aides while they work towards becoming nurse?”

Asagwara said they’re sympathetic to the recruits’ hardship but the program is being delivered as it was designed by the former PC government.

“We are keeping this program open. We are welcoming folks from the Philippines to join our health-care team in Manitoba,” Asagwara said.

The health minister said they would look into the matter and attempt to support candidates to join the workforce, but standards to practice in Manitoba need to be respected.

“(The CCA) is a standard that was put in place as part of the agreement with the Philippines. It’s a standard that’s in place to protect the public in terms of practicing in health care.”

Asagwara was unable to say Wednesday how many job offers have been withdrawn because candidates were unsuccessful meeting the province’s nursing standards or completing the necessary requirements in the timeline set out in their employment offer.

It is also unclear how many Filipino health-care workers offered jobs in Manitoba will ultimately come to the province.

Asked if changes can be made to make the program more successful, the health minister suggested the province’s hands are tied by contracts and agreements signed by the Tories.

“This is a pathway that was created by the previous government,” Asagwara said. “In terms of why it’s under-performing the way that it is, those are questions better posed to members of the PC caucus.”

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca