Ottawa Journal (January 04 – January 08, 2021)
David Tilson, M.P. (Dufferin-Caledon)

Moving to a new country can be exciting and challenging for new Canadians. For newly arrived professionals like doctors and engineers, one of these challenges can be getting their foreign credentials recognized in their new home. It can mean the difference between getting a good job right away and waiting to have their credentials accepted. This is why our Government is taking action to help make it easier for new Canadians to have their credentials recognized in a clearer and faster process.

    Canada consistently attracts a number of talented professionals from around the globe. However, after years of inaction by previous governments, many new Canadians felt that they haven’t been able to meet their full potential as a citizen. In addition, the previous governments allowed for many frustrating barriers which kept newcomers from having their foreign credentials recognized with many new Canadians forced to wait years before entering their trained profession.

    Meanwhile, our Government has worked with the territories, provinces, and professional organizations to try to take down the barriers new Canadian professionals face, in order to better integrate them into Canada’s workforce.

    By making investments from Canada’s Economic Action Plan, we created the Pan Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications. Under this program, newly arrived professionals who apply to have their credentials approved for work in Canada will have a timely, efficient, and rigorous process that will review their applications within one-year of receipt. Newcomers will also benefit from having a referral office already in place to better help them find the jobs they are already qualified for. Additionally, all professionals with qualifications already approved in Canada will soon be able to move from province to province without needing to be re-certified.

    By working to efficiently integrate these professionals into the Canadian workforce, our Government seeks to have the most educated, most skilled, and most flexible workforce in the world, something that can only help secure our country’s long-term economic success and prosperity.

    This important action won’t just benefit the Canadian economy; its impact will be felt in Canadian homes right across the country. For example, many families know the frustration of trying to find a family doctor. A shortage of Canadian trained doctors has made this a difficult and worrying task for many parents. However, by recognizing the professional qualifications of doctors trained abroad, more Canadian families will have access to the quality health care they deserve.

    Through the foreign credential recognition framework, many new Canadians who have chosen Canada as the country to start their new life in will be given the opportunity to pursue a career in their trained profession as well. Professionals like architects, engineers, pharmacists, and nurses will be reaching their full working potential in their new home of Canada.

    Ultimately, our new framework will better serve the interests of all Canadians. By acting to improve Canada’s system of foreign credential recognition, our Government is helping new Canadian professionals and ensuring they are given the opportunity to make a valuable contribution to Canada.