Foreign nurses in Quebec poorly prepared by provincial program, internal report finds

Foreign nurses recruited to Quebec through a provincial government program faced “major obstacles” upon their arrival, including a lack of housing, child care and transportation, according to an internal report.A rigorous training schedule, culture shock and fear of failure caused severe stress among the recruits, says the report produced by the province’s Immigration Department. It suggests they were not properly informed about the demands of the program or the reality of life in Quebec.The $65-million initiative, announced in 2022, aims to bring 1,500 foreign nurses to Quebec by 2028 to work in regions of the province with acute nursing shortages. Candidates receive training at junior colleges, funded by the government, and are paid $500 a week.