Ontario government to bar international students from medical schools in 2026
The Ford government is introducing controversial changes that will require the province’s medical schools to prioritize 95% of undergraduate seats for Ontario residents.
Beginning in the fall of 2026, new legislative and regulatory changes will, if passed, bar international students from attending medical schools throughout the province, Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday.
Through the legislation, the province is aiming to reserve almost all medical school spots for Ontario residents, and the other 5% for students from other parts of Canada.
“There was 18% of students from around the world taking our kids’ seats and then not even staying here and going back to their country, and it’s just not right,” Ford said at a news conference. “So now it’s going to be 100% Canadian, 95% Ontario.”
The province says the legislation aims to close the remaining 10% gap of people who do not have access to a regular healthcare provider in Ontario. The expansion, the province estimates, will result in approximately 190 additional Ontario residents in first-year undergraduate medical education programs annually compared to 2024-25.
“We are going to prioritize Ontario residents because those are our taxpayers that are paying those students to go to school,” added Health Minister Sylvia Jones.
Starting in 2026, the provincial government is also investing an estimated $88 million over three years to expand “Learn and Stay” grants for 1,360 eligible undergraduate students who commit to practicing family medicine with a full roster of patients once they graduate.
The province estimates that the total investment will connect an additional 1.36 million people with primary care. The funding will cover all tuition and other direct educational costs like books, supplies, and equipment in exchange for a term of service as a physician in any community across Ontario.
Some Canadian medical schools, including the University of British Columbia, already bar international students from their MD Undergraduate programs. According to the university’s website, applicants must be permanent residents of Canada at the time of their application, either as Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
The school notes that it is unable to admit international students, although it welcomes applications from individuals with refugee status in Canada, with admission being contingent on attaining permanent residency.