Global Nursing Workforce at a Crossroads: A Canadian Policy Lens on the 2026 International Workforce Forum.
The 2026 International Workforce Forum highlighted a projected global shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030, more than half of whom are nurses. This paper examines the Forum's findings through a Canadian policy lens, drawing on the Canadian Nurses Association's Policy Roadmap for 2025 and Beyond and recent national workforce data. It identifies converging challenges, including workforce shortages, underutilization of nursing scope, barriers to mobility and declining workforce well-being. The analysis positions Canadian policy priorities as both aligned with and responsive to global imperatives, arguing that nursing leadership and strategic investment are essential to system transformation. This article establishes the foundation for focusing on the experience of internationally educated nurses and nurses' mental health and well-being.