Looking to emigrate as a medical doctor? We ranked 20 countries across five dimensions — visa accessibility, salary competitiveness, cost of living, quality of life, and career growth — to find the best destinations for medical doctors in 2026.
Country Rankings for Medical Doctors
| Rank | Country | Score | Visa | Salary | Cost | QoL | Career | Best Pathway | Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 7.7/10 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | Express Entry | Yes |
| 2 | Netherlands | 7.7/10 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | Highly Skilled Migrant Permit | Yes |
| 3 | Germany | 7.6/10 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | Skilled Worker Visa Academic | Yes |
| 4 | Singapore | 7.5/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | Employment Pass | Yes |
| 5 | Australia | 7.4/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | Skilled Independent 189 | Yes |
| 6 | Denmark | 7.3/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 6.0 | Positive List For Higher Education | Yes |
| 7 | Portugal | 7.3/10 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | D1 Employment Visa | Yes |
| 8 | United Kingdom | 7.3/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | Health And Care Worker Visa | Yes |
| 9 | Norway | 7.2/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 10.0 | 6.0 | Skilled Worker Permit | Yes |
| 10 | United Arab Emirates | 7.2/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | Employment Visa Standard Work Visa | Yes |
| 11 | Ireland | 7.1/10 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | Critical Skills Employment Permit | Yes |
| 12 | Austria | 7.0/10 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | Red White Red Card Skilled Workers In Shortage | Yes |
| 13 | Sweden | 7.0/10 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | Work Permit Employer Sponsored | Yes |
| 14 | Switzerland | 7.0/10 | 5.0 | 10.0 | 2.0 | 10.0 | 7.0 | B Permit Skilled Worker Residence | Yes |
| 15 | United States | 7.0/10 | 5.0 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | Eb 2 Advanced Degree | Yes |
| 16 | New Zealand | 6.8/10 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | Green List Straight To Residence Visa | Yes |
| 17 | Japan | 6.3/10 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | Skilled Worker Visa Tokutei Gino | Yes |
| 18 | South Korea | 6.1/10 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | E 5 Professional Visa | Yes |
| 19 | France | 6.0/10 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | Salaried Employee Work Permit | Yes |
| 20 | Spain | 5.8/10 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | Employee Work Visa | Yes |
Top 3 Countries in Detail
#1 Canada (7.7/10)
Gold Medal — Best Pathway: Express Entry
- Cost of living from €2000/mo (Montreal)
- See all Canada visa options →
#2 Netherlands (7.7/10)
Silver Medal — Best Pathway: Highly Skilled Migrant Permit
- Income requirement: €5,942/monthly
- Processing: 10-28 days
- Cost of living from €2350/mo (Rotterdam)
- See all Netherlands visa options →
#3 Germany (7.6/10)
Bronze Medal — Best Pathway: Skilled Worker Visa Academic
- Processing: 60-105 days
- Cost of living from €2090/mo (Hamburg)
- See all Germany visa options →
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