Some respondents had access to information sessions provided either by Citizenship and Immigration Canada or MICC (Ministère d'Immigration et de Communautés Culturelles). These sessions are designed to provide information to new immigrants about Canadian or Québec culture, language and the working environment:

Il y avait une séance gouvernementale de temps en temps parce que le ministère Immigration surtout offre de temps en temps des services pour groupe communautaire. Et il y avait une séance de avoir des services pour garder les enfants, c'est quoi le système éducatif ici, vraiment une séance d'information. Il y avait une séance psychologique pour garder l'estime de soi, c'est intéressant, moi j'étais impressionnée, le gouvernement mais surtout québécois est conscient de fragilité des immigrants comme ça, moi j'étais très impressionnée, j'ai assisté parce que j'étais très curieuse. C'était un psychologue qui est venu, c'était un monsieur qui était très sympathique et il a fait formation très impressionnante.

[There was a government session now and then. Mostly the Department of Immigration sometimes offered services for community groups. And there was a session on childcare services, that's the education system here, really an information session. There was a psychological session on self-esteem. It was really something and I was impressed. The government but especially the Quebec government is aware of the vulnerability of immigrants like that, I was very impressed; I attended because I was very curious. It was a psychologist who came, a man, he was very nice and the training he gave was very impressive.] [Quebec IMG #2, practicing]

Similarly, information sessions with some specific content for IEHPs were available to some of our participants in Manitoba:

Like we have some kind of it's not the same kind of ... communication course. That is a free course at like every college and the government pays for that that IMG doctors do in Winnipeg. My husband actually did that. And that like doctors come over there and like they do cases and it is really a good course but the thing you were talking about it would be okay but people cannot go like every day. Like one or two sessions would be okay. But in that course ... which the government provides in Manitoba it is from the Red River College and like it's free for immigrants... It was for everybody else but mainly IMGs...And it was not for like just the English. It's kind of communication skills with patients...I didn't take it but my husband took that course and a lot of doctors go over there and most of them get benefit with that. [Manitoba IMG #1, practicing]

This was considered to be particularly important for IMGs, who come to learn that the number of physicians available for supervision is very limited, and thus their chance of getting a residency spot is very low.

Actually it's kind you know I was not very informed. I would say so because I thought to purchase my license here it's almost impossible. And everybody told me it's so hard. So I kind of [got this feeling] from the newspaper, from the friend, from the people around you. Everybody around me. ... actually. Okay, so as I started to look at those information about the doctors when I was in China. Before I came I started and that give me also kind of impression that it's hard, that it's almost impossible. This information all comes from the websites. [BC IMG #7, in progress].

Doctors working here, in Canada all were sort of trying to... you know... to... cool off my enthusiasm saying "this is extremely difficult", "this is highly unlikely to happen", "remember this is highly competitive, even Canadian graduates cannot get residency training". "You rather try in US. If you continue trying in Canada you would rather waste your time and money". So all three doctors I talked to tried to discourage me from trying. Not supportive at all [Ontario IMG #1, practicing].

That said, there were respondents among all professional groups interviewed who were not interested in participating in information sessions, largely because there were not specifically targeted to the situation of IEHPs. For example, one of our IMG participants noted:

Respondent: Il y avait un séminaire comme ça à l'Ambassade du Canada en France.
Interviewer : Est-ce que vous l'avez pris ce séminaire?
Respondent : Non, non, je ne l'ai pas eu, j'étais pas allé parce que bon c'était quelque chose générale, c'était pas spécifique pour les médecins.
Interviewer : O.K. puis vous ne pensez pas...
Respondent : Pour les applicants, pour les immigrants. Pour les immigrants en général, les immigrants en français qui voulaient immigrer au Canada.
Interviewer : Pour vous ça n'aurait pas été utile ce genre de séminaire?Respondent : Non, non, parce que pour la médecine c'est quelque chose de spécial, c'est spécifique

[Respondent: There was a seminar like that at the Canadian embassy in France.
Interviewer: Did you attend the seminar?
Respondent: No, no, I didn't, I didn't go because it was a general kind of thing, it wasn't specifically for doctors.
Interviewer: O.K. and you don't think ...
Respondent: For applicants, for immigrants. For immigrants in general, French immigrants who wanted to immigrate to Canada.
Interviewer: That kind of seminar wouldn't be useful to you?
Respondent: No, no, because medicine is special, it's specific.] [Quebec IMG #8, practicing].

Indeed, some IMGs who attended information sessions offered by CIC or MICC were dissatisfied with the information provided and were left with many unanswered questions about health care in Canada. Furthermore, they complained that participating in the information sessions did not open any doors to them.

Actually the reason why I did not attend those seminars and those kind of stuff because most of my colleague(s) who are senior who came earlier than me, they attended all these thing and they said it is useless. They are not working for you. They are just telling you do this and this. And we did. We took the exam. We did this, we did this. But nothing is happening. What is the use to go there and waste your time? [Ontario IMG #1, practicing]

Honestly? I do not think it would make a difference, 'cause I do not need someone to tell me what I already know. I already know why I cannot make it and bridging program would not help me to solve the problem with residency in the future. [Ontario IMG # 6, no longer pursuing integration].

Finally, others argued that due to financial, time and family constraints, they would not have been able to take part in any information sessions. Many opted to gain important information from their colleagues:

Actually it happened by chance. Just my husband had a meeting with someone in the United Way. He was telling them that, you know, 'My wife is a doctor. She is living in Canada and what she should do.' And they told him okay, she should go. There's the ... World Skills. You know, go talk to people. There's doctors that can provide you with some information, help you how to apply for the exams and, you know, just other people study together. So this is actually what I did and, uh, I started connecting with some other immigrant doctors, uh, took some workshops. I took almost three workshops, three programs I should say with many workshops. It was very interesting, very helpful. They made introduction for the Canadian workplace. We did some workshops on resumes and interviews. How it works in Canada. And what they did is like a profile book for each of us. We were like 24, 25 people. Some of us doctors. ... And they were introducing us to the employers and they sent us as well some job ads. We sent them our resumes for review. And so it's been helpful. [Ontario IMG #20, practicing].