Hundreds of American nurses choose Canada over the U.S. under Trump

More than 1,000 American nurses have successfully applied for licensure in British Columbia since April, a massive increase over prior years. Health Hundreds of American nurses choose Canada over the U.S. under Trump February 25, 20265:00 AM ET From By Brett Kelman Nurses Brandy Frye (left) and Susan Fleishman work the night shift at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital in British Columbia. Both said they left their longtime U.S. jobs last year to get away from the policies and hateful rhetoric of President Trump. Taylor Pradine/KFF Health News hide caption toggle caption Taylor Pradine/KFF Health News Last month, Justin and Amy Miller packed their vehicles with three kids, two dogs, a pet bearded dragon, and whatever belongings they could fit, then drove 2,000 miles from Wisconsin to British Columbia to leave President Trump's America. The Millers resettled on Vancouver Island, their scenic refuge accessible only by ferry or plane. Justin went to work in the emergency room at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, where he became one of at least 20 U.S.-trained nurses hired since April. Trump, some of the nurses said, was why they left. "There are so many like-minded people out there," said Justin, who now works elbow to elbow with Americans in Canada. "You aren't trapped. You don't have to stay. Health care workers are welcomed with open arms around the world." Sponsor Message The Millers are part of a new surge of American nurses, doctors, and other health care workers moving to Canada, and specifically British Columbia, where more than 1,000 U.S.-trained nurses have been approved to work since April. Many nurses have felt the draw of Canada's progressive politics, friendly reputation, and universal health care system, which stands in contrast to what they see as authoritarian policies under Trump along with deep cuts to funding for public health, insurance, and medical research. Business These nurse managers were burnt out. Then their hospital gave them a 4-day workweek Additionally, some nurses were incensed last year when the Trump administration said it would reclassify nursing as a nonprofessional degree, which would impose strict federal limits on the loans nursing students could receive. Canada is poised to capitalize. Two of its most populous provinces, Ontario and British Columbia, have streamlined the licensing process for American nurses since Trump returned to the White House. British Columbia also launched a $5 million advertising campaign last year to recruit nurses from California, Oregon, and Washington state. "With the chaos and uncertainty happening in the U.S., we are seizing the opportunity to attract the talent we need," Josie Osborne, the province's health minister, said in a statement announcing the campaign. Fears realized Amy Miller, a nurse practitioner, said she and her husband were determined to move their children out of the country because they felt Trump's second term would inevitably spiral into violence. Sponsor Message First, the Millers got nursing licenses in New Zealand, but when the job search took too long, they pivoted to Canada. Justin was offered a job within weeks. Amy found one within three months. So they moved. And just a few days later, the Millers watched with horror from afar as their fears came true. As federal immigration forces clashed with protesters in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, federal agents fatally shot an ICU nurse, Alex Pretti, as he filmed a confrontation and appeared to be trying to shield a woman who was knocked down. Video of the killing showed border agents pinning Pretti to the ground before seizing his concealed, licensed handgun and then opening fire on him. The Trump administration quickly called Pretti a "domestic terrorist" who intended to kill federal agents. That allegation was disputed by eyewitness videos that circulated on social media and spurred widespread outrage, including from nurses and nursing organizations, some of whom invoked the profession's duty to care for the vulnerable. "I don't want to say it was expected, but that's why we are here," Amy Miller said. "Even our oldest kid, she was like: 'It's OK, Mom, because we are not there anymore. We are safe here.' So she recognizes that, and she's not even in middle school yet." Both the U.S. and Canada have a severe need for nurses. The U.S. is projected to be short about 270,000 registered nurses, plus at least 120,000 licensed practical nurses, by 2028, according to recent estimates from the Health Resources and Services Administration. In Canada, nursing job vacancies tripled from 2018 to 2023, when they reached nearly 42,000, according to a recent report from the Montreal Economic Institute, a Canadian think tank. When asked to comment, the White House noted that industry data shows the number of nurses licensed in the U.S. increased in 2025. It dismissed accounts of nurses moving to Canada as "anecdotes of individuals with severe cases of Trump derangement syndrome." Sponsor Message "The American health care workforce is the finest in the world, and it continues to expand under President Trump," White House spokesperso