For many, the decision to emigrate was influenced not so much by the current political situation of their home country, but by the possibilities a move abroad would provide. Some of these possibilities were linked specifically to Canada, whereas others had more to do with the migration experience itself. Some of the IENs we interviewed decided to immigrate to Canada simply because they were seeking a change and were looking for adventure:

I guess we had what my husband and I call 'itchy feet' syndrome in that we just, we wanted to travel. So we wanted to experience a different part of the world. We didn't want to stay in one place our whole lives and then wake up one day and go 'Oh we should have seen the world when we were young.' [Manitoba IEN #3, practicing]

Donc mon voyage au Québec, mon immigration au Québec ça s'est fait au travers d'un cheminement plus dans le sens de découvrir d'autres cultures puis au travers de mon métier aussi de pouvoir découvrir les soins dans différents horizons.

[My trip to Quebec, my immigration to Quebec, was more out of an interest in discovering other cultures, and for professional reasons, in discovering other approaches to care in different places.] [Québec IEN #7, practicing]

Canada, like many other destination countries, offers educational opportunities not available in some other countries. Such opportunities were the 'number one' incentive for some:

J'ai décidé d'immigrer parce que je voulais faire une maîtrise et puis je suis intéressée par tout ce qui est communautaire et le Canada c'est réputé pour le communautaire. Donc je suis venue ici pour faire en fait ma maîtrise, ce n'était pas nécessairement pour travailler.

[I decided to immigrate because I wanted to complete a master's degree. I'd become fascinated by everything to do with the community matters -- and Canada has a reputation for its community orientation. And so I came here to do my master's, not necessarily to work.] [Québec IEN #6, practicing]

Some of the more Canada-specific reasons cited included the relative ease of immigrating to Canada, in contrast with some other possible destination countries. As one of our IMGs told us:

After my graduation I started to learn English and I was fascinated with the different world... it opened my mind. I would like to see what a foreign country looks like. And I heard a lot about Canada, [that it] is much easier for foreigners than the States, United States, more friendly. That's why I chose Canada [Manitoba IMG #11, no longer pursuing integration]

Our respondents described that, while the process of immigration into Canada can take long time, it is relatively straightforward. Many applied for permanent residency simultaneously in number of countries (i.e., Australia, US, and Canada) and simply waited to see which one would make an offer first. As one IEN stated:

When my children were grown up they were asking me ... [to] go somewhere ... that we'll be together, you know. So I applied to the U.S.A. I applied to Australia. I applied to Canada. Now the first, the application that was approved came first from Canada so I decided to come to Canada although it's cold. I really was preparing to go to Australia because there is no winter there, but then the papers from Canada came in first [Manitoba IEN # 1, practicing].

Others stated that the immigration process in Canada better enabled their family to be together and have permanent residency status. Indeed, some immigrants chose Canada as their country of destination because they had family or friends who suggested that they would follow them to Canada.

Je vais vous dire c'est très simple, j'ai de la parenté ici .... il venait visiter ma grand-mère et m'entendant que je faisais mes études d'infirmière. Il m'a dit viens donc travailler au Canada...

[It's very simple: I have relatives here... I had just visited my grandmother and heard that I'm in nursing school. She said I should come and work in Canada.] [Québec IEN #4, in progress]

C'était pour suivre mon conjoint. Des raisons purement personnelles à la base, oui.

[I followed my spouse here. Yes, basically, my reasons were purely personal.] [Québec ITM #32, practicing]

The multicultural and perceived friendly nature of Canada was another key pull factor. Many of our respondents suggested that Canada is reputed to be friendlier to visible minorities and immigrants than European countries and the US. This theme was especially salient among immigrants who self identified as visible minorities:

Because, you know, [immigration] is not that much convenient for people who come from Africa especially. But here it's a multi-diverse country. There is a respect here. I like Canada so I decided to stay here [Ontario ITM #1, no longer pursuing integration].

Et comme le Canada c'est un pays disons on a appris que le Canada était un pays où il faisait bon vivre, où on respectait vraiment les droits de l'homme, en tout cas on nous a dit que les Canadiens sont des gens très accueillants et sociables, et tout ça...

[And since Canada is a country, I mean, we found out that Canada was a good country to live in, that it truly upholds human rights, anyway, we were told that Canadians were very hospitable and sociable people, and all that.] [Québec IEN #4, in progress]

Similarly, many respondents compared Canada with the US (another potential choice) and found Canada to offer a safer environment, a better standard of living, especially with respect to its public programs, and in turn, a better future for their children:

I liked my training in the U.S. It was a great experience...and I liked [the] U.S., but I thought it was not the best country for me and my wife and kids. So I thought, you know, why not try Canada. It's such a great country, you know, nice people, very stable country. The government protects people in the health care, all this protection that your government gives you. I think it would be the better [choice] for me and my family. So that was the main reason [Manitoba IMG #1, practicing].

Finally, another key pull factor was the appraisal that Canada is in need of health professionals. Many of our participants received information through their friends, relatives or recruitment agencies about the possibility of practicing in Canada:

Canada was a good choice for us because we had friends who were here and they encouraged us to come because, um, mainly because they said that I'd be able to work easily because of the, um, they needed nurses. [Manitoba IEN #3, practicing]

This factor, however, in addition to the points that IEHPs get for their education in the immigration application process, caused much confusion when they ultimately faced barriers in the professional integration process in Canada, as we discuss more fully below.