A Nanaimo, BC recruiter describes the Healthcare Infusion program, which brings American healthcare workers to the island for a weekend. Alyssa, a New York nurse, moved there after attending and found immediate community support. The program has tracked 75 relocations to Vancouver Island in recent years.
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Hey Americans, if you've ever thought about moving to Canada, I have some good news for you. Where I live, British Columbia, that's the province furthest west, we have programs that can help get you here. Let me give you an example. A nurse from New York named Alyssa. Last week she accepted a full-time nursing job here on Vancouver Island. I posted about it online. Within hours, hundreds of people flooded the comments, not just to say welcome, but to say, "What do you need? People to help you unpack? School advice for your kids? Friends who are into board games?" She hasn't even packed a box yet. Canada is already waiting for her. For you. Alyssa came to us through something my wife and I set up last year called the Healthcare Infusion. We invited Americans to come visit our town, Nanaimo, for a weekend. The first year, 350 of you showed up. This past April, more than 700. At least half were healthcare workers. Nurses, doctors, speech-language pathologists. Pretty much everyone who works directly with patients. Dozens were hired that same weekend. We've now tracked about 75 American healthcare workers who've moved to Vancouver Island because of that program. Here's the thing about Canada. The one quality that unites us from coast to coast to coast is that even in the worst of times, we don't give up on our neighbors. We believe in communities here, in schools, in science. We believe the measure of a society isn't how well the lucky ones do, it's how well everyone does. And so with many of your fellow Americans making the move, there are now community groups here. Walking groups, a network of support and friends already built just waiting for you. If you work directly with patients and you'd like to move here, or at least check it out, go to nanaimoinfusion.ca. We have a Discord full of locals ready to answer your questions and peers of yours who've already made the move. And it's not just Nanaimo. Across this country, communities have their own infusions ready to help you get here. You can find those at healthcareinfusion.org. So check us out. I think you'll find you already have friends in Canada. We just haven't met you yet.
