International recruitment helps us bring in varied skills and expertise.
(Photo) Royal Columbian Hospital welcomes Medical Imaging international recruits: Ifeoma, Cynthia and Stephanie.
Recently, we've had notable success recruiting talent from the United States. Now Fraser Health's Medical Imaging department is embracing an international recruitment strategy that is transforming their own team culture.
Since April 1, 2025, Fraser Health’s Medical Imaging team has hired 12 international technologists and are continuing to support several more through the immigration process. This initiative has filled critical roles, enriched team culture and showcased a welcoming environment for newcomers to our Medical Imaging teams.
"We recognized the need to expand our search for skilled technologists," said Kevin Enns, executive director, Medical Imaging. "Local recruitment strategies alone couldn’t meet our immediate needs, so we needed to look outside our borders.”
Kevin says a large part of the team’s success in bringing in international recruits has been having a centralized recruitment process for medical imaging.
“Having dedicated resources in place to carefully vet candidates for both skill and fit has been very important,” he explains. “Creating a personal connection with candidates during recruitment helps us understand their preferences and match them with roles in communities that fit with the experiences they seek.”
The onboarding process has also been central to the program’s success. Creating welcome packages and ensuring the new team members are set up with practical things like bank accounts, SIN numbers and cell phones have been an important part of the integration process. Meanwhile, staff, medical staff and leaders at the sites have rallied around their new colleagues, welcoming them with open arms and creating a warm atmosphere.
“Our first recruits were three women from Nigeria who were hired to work at Royal Columbian Hospital,” says Kevin. “They arrived on the same day, each with just a suitcase or two to start their new lives in B.C., it was really inspiring to see them taking this big step in their lives and it was also great to see the team rally around them, too.”
The teams quickly got to work helping the new arrivals to settle in. They took them out for dinner on the first night, they assisted them in finding furnishings and kitchen supplies and they helped source things like local spices that they were used to cooking with.
In a testimonial to their new colleagues at Royal Columbian Hospital, new recruits Stephanie, Cynthia and Ifeoma, shared the following:
“From the depths of our hearts, thank you! For the love, care and unwavering support you have shown us. From the moment we arrived, your warm welcome made our transition to Canada feel less overwhelming and truly reassuring… thank you for being more than a team, for helping shape the foundation of our future here and thank you for being a source of hope and reassurance.”
Similar positive experiences took place at Surrey Memorial Hospital, where teams embraced new arrivals and ensured a welcome introduction and smooth integration into the team and the work.
(Photo) Surrey Memorial Hospital welcomes Medical Imaging international recruits: Chidiebube and Chisom.
New recruits, Chidiebube and Chisom, shared the following message to their Surrey Memorial Hospital colleagues:
“We are deeply grateful for a safe arrival in Surrey and the warm, genuine welcome we received from our manager. The entire transition process was smooth, well supported and truly reassuring. From the first day, we felt cared for and guided, which made settling much easier. It has been an awesome process so far, and we appreciate the kindness, professionalism and support shown to us during this important transition.”
"There’s a real sense of excitement and pride across the department,” says Laura Burslem, manager, Medical Imaging, Royal Columbian Hospital. “Our team has been sharing stories of successful integration and support during meetings, and it’s inspiring to see everyone come together."
This success in Medical Imaging showcases the inclusive and positive team culture we have at Fraser Health and demonstrates the important role that international recruitment plays in strengthening our recruitment efforts across clinical programs and services.
