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Nigerian Doctor to Canada:
Complete Licensing Pathway 2026

Nigeria is one of the top source countries for IMGs entering Canada. Here is the exact pathway — from NYSC to Canadian residency.

4–6 years
Minimum timeline
$5,000–9,000 CAD
Total exam cost
~65% IMGs
MCCQE pass rate

The Exact Steps

01

Complete NYSC + Housemanship

Before applyingNone

Canada requires completion of your housemanship (internship) before your application is considered. Ensure your NYSC certificate and all documents are complete and available for verification.

02

Medical Council of Canada Source Verification

3–6 months$500–800 CAD

Submit your medical degree, transcripts, and internship documents through the MCC portal. Nigerian medical schools are listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. This step takes the most time — start immediately.

03

MCCQE Part 1

3–6 months prep$1,500 CAD

Available at Prometric test centres in Nigeria and internationally. 6.5-hour exam covering clinical knowledge across all specialties. Nigerian doctors generally have strong knowledge — focused prep of 3 months is usually sufficient.

04

NAC OSCE

2–4 months prep$2,000+ CAD + travel

Must be written in Canada. 12 clinical stations testing communication, history taking, physical exam, and management. Nigerian IMGs consistently perform well on knowledge but lose marks on Canadian communication style — empathy, shared decision-making, and patient-centered language.

05

CaRMS Residency Match

Annual$500–1,000 CAD

CaRMS vs PRA depends on your specialty, province target, and years of independent practice. Nigerian IMGs have succeeded via both routes — the right one for you depends on your profile.

What Nigerian IMGs Get Wrong

✕Only applying to Ontario — the most competitive province for IMGs
✕Skipping observerships — Canadian references are essential for CaRMS
✕Underestimating NAC communication scoring — empathy is marked explicitly
✕Assuming the same route as other Nigerian IMGs — province, specialty, and immigration status all affect your sequence and timeline significantly
✕Starting without a mapped sequence — knowing which step comes first for your profile can save 6–12 months

Before you start

The wrong province costs you 3 years.
Your roadmap prevents that.

🔒
Which province to target
Wrong choice = no PRA eligibility at all
🔒
PRA or CaRMS for your profile
12 weeks vs. 5 years to practice — depends on your history
🔒
What to do first
Wrong sequence = months wasted on ineligible steps
🔒
Your months-to-income date
Know your Day 1 before you start
Build My Roadmap — 2 Minutes →

6 questions. No email required to start. vs. $250/hr with a consultant.

Practice NAC with AI Feedback

AI simulates real NAC patients. Get scored feedback on communication, empathy, and clinical reasoning — free to start.

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