Canada has long been a country of immigration, witnessing a large increase in the years between 1998 and 2008 (Bourgeault 2007, Kelley and Trebilcock 2010). Ireland, which was always considered a country of emigration, saw an influx of immigrants during a similar period (Office of the Minister for Integration 2008). Nowhere was this more evident than in the health care industries of both countries, where severe manpower shortages prompted the recruitment of skilled healthcare professionals from abroad.\ud
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Estimates suggest that about one third of all healthcare professional immigrants never take up a position in the health care system of the new country.(Jeans et al. 2005, Blythe et al. 2006) In addition, attrition rates among those who do pursue their career in the host country are at about 25%. (Blythe et al. 2006) The remainder recount multiple barriers and delays in obtaining full registration and employment. With this degree of loss and delay to the professional workforce, it is critical to discover what the transition experience is for these migrant healthcare professionals and how they might resolve their concerns. (Jeans et al. 2005, Szekely 2007, Humphries, Brugha and McGee 2009a)\ud
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In this grounded theory study (Glaser and Strauss 1967, Glaser 1978, Glaser 1998) the transition experience of the migrant healthcare professionals (nurses and doctors) is conceptualised in the grounded theory of New Normalising. New Normalising occurs through the stages of transplanting, regressing and adapting. It is through New Normalising that participants resolve their main concerns of transition. The potential applications and implications of this research are discussed, as well as directions for further development of the theory