Government of Canada helps internationally trained health care professionals get their credentials and experience recognized in Canada

OAKVILLE, ON, May 4, 2018 /CNW/ - Helping internationally trained newcomers join the Canadian workforce faster will help grow the economy and strengthen the middle class.

That's why today, John Oliver, Member of Parliament for Oakville, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project that will help internationally trained health care professionals get their credentials recognized faster.

The Government of Canada is investing almost $812,000 over the next two years in the Career Accelerator for Internationally Trained Health Professionals project. With this investment, the Halton Multicultural Council will help up to 160 highly skilled newcomers with experience and education in the health care sector plan for and secure equivalent career levels, overcome barriers, and gain Canadian professional work experience in order to reach their full labour market potential.

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 Canadian work experience in their professions will allow them to join the Canadian workforce faster, which is critical to growing our economy and strengthening the middle class. That's why we are supporting newcomers to get work experience so they can 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 supporting newcomers as they put their skills to work across communities in Canada.This is especially important for people trained in the health care sector who can help fill growing vacancies in the field."
– John Oliver, Member of Parliament for Oakville

Quick Facts

• The health care sector is facing an aging workforce, particularly in Ontario. The shortage of health care professionals cannot be entirely fulfilled without highly skilled newcomers joining this sector.
• Budget 2017 announced the Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers to help 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 
Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Program Call for Proposals 
Credential assessment in Canada 
Pre-arrival services 
Budget 2017

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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 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 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 workers.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Carlene Variyan, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [e-mail], 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [e-mail]