As we have seen above, many IEHPs complained that they don't have sufficient information, nor do they have sufficiently clear and concise information, about the process of integration into the Canadian health care system. Indeed, the experiences of our own research team of Canadian-trained doctoral students and graduates largely corroborate the experience of the complexity of the professional integration processes across the Canadian provinces we studied. This is a particularly important point, given the amount of funds devoted to the streamlining of processes and the creation of 'one-stop' websites (Bourgeault 2006).

As a result of the concerns about the lack of information, a number of policy initiatives were developed to provide incoming health professionals with information about the process of integration into the system. Mainly offered through various internet portals, the regulatory Colleges put information on their websites regarding integration of IEHPs. Some even warned them not to come before they have their credentials assessed, noting that this process can take a long time.

One of the common recomendations is that the IEHPs need this information before they come to Canada. Our interviews with some IEHPs, however, demonstrated that many of them did not plan professional integration (for a variety of reasons) until their actual arrival. For others, the sources of information accessed were the internet and the embassy. Those who contacted licensing bodies directly, or who had personal contacts already in Canada, were better prepared. Those who were contacted byrecruiters had mixed experiences, some being aided and expedited through the system, others feeling they had been mislead or even lied to.

Given these findings, it would be best to distribute this information via multiple sources and at multiple points in the integration process with consistent messages. In addition, in the absence of general knowledge about the Canadian health care system, difficulties (for some IEHPs) accessing the web and in reading English or French, many choose to start looking into alternative professional integration here in Canada. Some of our respondents suggested that, rather than having a lot of information booklets, it would be more useful to have a personal, case manager-like approach:

There should be an individual counsellor, but that counselor has to have the knowledge of the system and it would be very difficult to find a person who has the knowledge of the system, because the system is constantly changing and even if that person knows the system it doesn't mean that they're going to be helpful ... So this is where the gap is. Once they, like this case manager, has to have some communication with maybe a special division of the College of Nurses that deals with immigrant issues and says wait a second, our system does not allow this person to practice. That's ridiculous. It's unfair. It's unconstitutional. It's, you know, not good for anybody. It's just simply stupid... So there has to be a person designated by the College who would notify the requirements, the entry requirements according to that specific case and be on top of things and eventually, you know, they should deal with it maybe on a case by case basis [Ontario IEN #1, practicing]

Well I would recommend to have some sort of case manager for a person like me. Because what is happening now, I don't have anyone to talk to. And this is not only about documents, but it is also about this type of negotiations and these instances where the advice is needed, so I think it is critical. [Ontario IMG #3, practicing].

It is easy to get lost in the myriad of information pieces available on the web and it is really hard to navigate the system solely on the information provided by booklets and websites. Having a person who can suggest the path to navigate on an individual basis would really help IEHPs in the process. This is the precisely the model developed by the Ontario Access Centre.

Another facilitator in obtaining relevant information comes from professional associations of IEHPs. Our IEHP respondents often talked about gathering information and, although they did consult websites and information brochures, their primary source of information were fellow IEHPs who had been through the process. It could be assumed, therefore, that they have not only official information, but also "unofficial'' information such as rumours and tips that would help them to get through the system more effectively.