For Match Day 2026, the share of non-U.S. international medical graduates matched to a post-graduate year 1 position fell to a five-year low.
“[International medical graduates] play an important role in the U.S. physician workforce, and recent federal immigration policy changes have increased attention to visa sponsorship considerations in residency recruitment for foreign-born candidates,” the National Resident Matching Program said in a March 20 news release.
Between 2025 and 2026, match rates among international medical graduates fluctuated across oncology specialties while the number of programs and positions filled grew or remained the same.
Here are the 2026 oncology specific match rates for U.S. MD and DO graduates alongside U.S. and non-U.S. international medical graduates:
| Specialty | Applicants | Positions offered | U.S. MD graduates | U.S. DO graduates | U.S. IMGs | Non-U.S. IMGs |
| Hematology and oncology | 1,187 | 809 | 52.8% | 10.5% | 7.5% | 28.7% |
| Oncology | 46 | 3 | 0% | 0% | 33.3% | 66.7% |
| Gynecologic oncology | 99 | 88 | 81.8% | 10.2% | 4.5% | 2.3% |
| Pediatric hematology/oncology | 158 | 194 | 49% | 12.9% | 5.7% | 10.8% |
| Cancer rehabilitation | 7 | 14 | 21.4% | 21.4% | 7.1% | 0% |
| Surgical oncology | 111 | 77 | 72.7% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 9.1% |
Here are how match rates among U.S. and non-U.S. international medical graduates changed for oncology specialties between 2025 and 2026:
| U.S. IMGs | Non-U.S. IMGs | |||||
| 2026 | 2025 | Change | 2026 | 2025 | Change | |
| Hematology and oncology | 7.5% | 9.3% | -2% | 28.7% | 26.8% | 1.9% |
| Oncology | 33.3% | 0 | 33.3% | 66.7% | 50% | 16.7% |
| Gynecologic oncology | 4.5% | 3.5% | 1% | 2.3% | 3.5% | -1.2% |
| Pediatric hematology/oncology | 5.7% | 4.1% | 1.6% | 10.8% | 13.4% | -2.6% |
| Cancer rehabilitation | 7.1% | 16.7% | -9.6% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Surgical oncology | 5.2% | 1.3% | 4% | 9.1% | 10.5% | -1.4% |
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