New Brunswick has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia to recruit trained nurses and personal support workers, marking the first formal health-care recruitment partnership between Indonesia and a Canadian jurisdiction.
The agreement establishes a framework for recruiting and deploying Indonesian health-care workers in New Brunswick. The province will provide navigation support, including help with foreign qualification recognition and immigration processes.
“The recruitment of internationally educated nurses represents a key component in addressing our current health human resources shortage,” said Health Minister John Dornan. “This mutually beneficial agreement opens up a new source of skilled health-care professionals and is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure we have well-staffed systems that provide care to New Brunswickers now and in the future.”
Follows 2024 recruitment mission
The MOU follows a letter of intent New Brunswick signed with Indonesia in July 2024. The Department of Health and its partners conducted a recruitment mission to Indonesia in October 2024.
With the agreement now signed, New Brunswick employers can offer positions to identified candidates.
“We extend our appreciation to New Brunswick for its commitment and openness in building a transparent, accountable co-operation system that upholds the principles of protection for foreign workers,” said Dwi Setiawan Susanto, director general for promotion and utilization of overseas job opportunities at the Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection. “Indonesia health-care workers will contribute to the health-care system in New Brunswick while also gaining high-quality international work experience.”
Part of broader recruitment strategy
Since 2019, more than 1,300 internationally educated nurses have been recruited to work in New Brunswick as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses or personal support workers.
The province has developed expedited pathways for nurses trained in 14 countries to become licensed sooner.
