Ukrainian doctor dreams of working in Nova Scotia
Dr. Daria Peremot is a trained otolaryngologist, more commonly known as an ear, nose and throat specialist.
For the last year, she’s been working in a cafe in Iceland after fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but she wants more.
“My main goal is to go to Canada, to Nova Scotia and work as a doctor,” says Peremot.
To do that, she’s been applying for visas, permits and applications to come here to live and work.
Peremot says her approvals have been granted but her nine-year-old son doesn’t yet have permission to come to Canada.
”How can I come without my son? What would I do without him,” she asks.
Nova Scotia's health-care system has been dealing with severe staffing shortages for years.
The Nova Scotia government has said it’s working with public health and regulatory colleges to streamline licensing and support for Ukrainian health-care professionals.
A program was established to focus on bringing those professionals to the province.
Julia Guk, from Ukraine, is the program manager.
“Ukrainian healthcare professionals, most of them, are coming with family members and we want to learn how to support their families [who are] coming and not just the health-care professionals,” Guk said back in July.
Peremot originally planned to come to Nova Scotia with her mother and mother-in-law. Her relatives, both cardiologists, have changed their minds.
“I think they will stay in Iceland because they like Iceland and they have a house here and they have social support here,” Dr. Peremot says.
She, however, is determined to make Nova Scotia her home. But the long delays are making her wonder if the feeling is mutual.
“Of course I’m looking forward, but I don’t think Canada is looking forward for me,” Peremot says.
Time will tell if she’s right.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.