Government of Canada helps 240 more internationally trained newcomers in Toronto get their credentials and experience recognized in Canada Français
TORONTO, July 27, 2018 /CNW/ - Helping internationally trained newcomers join the Canadian workforce faster will strengthen our middle class, help those working hard to join it, and grow our economy.
That's why today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for York–South Weston, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project that will help about 240 internationally trained newcomers in Toronto get financial assistance and employment coaching to help them enter the Canadian workforce.
The Government of Canada is investing almost $1.29 million over the next eight years in the Learning Enrichment Foundation's Support for Internationally Trained Individuals (SITI) project. With this investment, the Foundation will increase resources for internationally trained newcomers to get their credentials recognized in Canada, and increase access to low-interest loans to support the foreign credential recognition process.
By funding this project, the Government is helping reduce barriers to employment for highly skilled newcomers and helping them find meaningful and long-term jobs in the Canadian workforce faster.
Quotes
"Helping newcomers obtain assistance to have their foreign credentials recognized will allow them to join the Canadian workforce faster, which is critical to growing our economy and strengthening the middle class. Through projects like these, we are supporting newcomers to kick-start their careers in Canada."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"I am proud that our government is helping to reduce barriers and support newcomers as they put their skills to work in communities across Canada. This is especially important for people trained in various fields who can help fill growing vacancies in their new country."
– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for York–South Weston
"The Learning Enrichment Foundation and DUCA Credit Union are delighted to be initiating a project with the Government of Canada that will propel talented new Canadians into their fields of expertise, fully utilizing the training that they received before having the courage to come to Canada. A combination of loans, social supports and coaching is exactly what is needed for individuals to complete the Foreign Credential Recognition process and be able to best utilize their talents to in turn help Canada to grow."
– Peter Frampton, Executive Director, Learning Enrichment Foundation
Quick Facts
- Budget 2017 announced the Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers to help highly skilled newcomers get their credentials recognized and obtain Canadian work experience more quickly so they can find jobs that suit their skills and experience.
- The Strategy has three components: pre-arrival services, a permanent loans program and a pilot to help highly skilled newcomers obtain their first Canadian professional work experience.
Associated Links
Foreign Credential Recognition Program
Credential assessment in Canada
Pre-arrival services
Budget 2017
Backgrounder
Foreign Credential Recognition Program
The Foreign Credential Recognition Program aims to improve the integration of internationally trained newcomers into the workforce. The Program provides funding to and works with the provinces and territories and other stakeholders—including non-profit organizations, regulatory bodies, post‑secondary institutions, sectoral stakeholders and employers—to implement projects that facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in other countries.
Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers
The Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers, which was announced in Budget 2017, has three components to help newcomers enter the job market. These are:
- improved pre-arrival supports;
- a loan program to assist newcomers with costs of getting their foreign credentials recognized; and
- assistance to acquire first Canadian work experience in their profession or in a field related to their profession.
The Strategy will also test innovative approaches to help highly skilled newcomers gain critical first Canadian work experience in their professions. Pilot projects to assess the value of foreign work experience will be implemented to learn the best ways to facilitate the critical first Canadian work experience for skilled newcomers. This could include testing initiatives such as paid internships, mentorships and job matching, and looking at ways to help overcome employers' reluctance to hire newcomers as a result of difficulties in assessing the value of their foreign work experience.
A Call for Proposals for the Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Program to help newcomers access financial support was launched last year. Newcomers can use the loan to cover costs associated with getting their credentials recognized.
A previous loan pilot, which ended in 2015, aimed to test models of community-based partnerships. Through this pilot, nine immigrant service and support agencies across Canada were funded to develop and deliver a loan program for internationally trained newcomers.
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Véronique Simard, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [email protected], 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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