The Canadian Press
Date: Wednesday Mar. 28, 2012 2:51 PM ET
OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is proposing rule changes that would assess and verify the education credentials of some immigrants even before they arrive in Canada.
The new requirement would mean that applicants seeking to come in under the federal skilled workers program would have a sense before they arrive whether they'll be able to get work in their field.
The question of how to assess foreign schooling and training has long been a contentious issue in immigration policy.
Kenney says the early examination of credentials will give skilled workers a comparison with Canadian standards and an understanding of how Canadian employers will judge their education and training.
It will also help weed out people whose credentials aren't up to snuff.
Immigration Canada says the change is part of an effort to address the problem of immigrants who come to Canada, but cannot find work in their chosen field.
The department stresses, though, that this early assessment won't mean assured employment, nor will it guarantee that an immigrant will be allowed to practice in a regulated occupation, such as medicine.
Applicants seeking to enter such a profession would have to have their bona fides assessed in greater depth by professional regulatory bodies in the provinces.
The government has a review office which studies the foreign credential problem and suggests ways of assessing foreign training and expertise and bridging gaps with Canadian requirements.
For years there have been anecdotal complaints about foreign PhDs reduced to driving taxis because their diplomas either aren't recognized or aren't considered to meet Canadian standards.
Kenney said the pre-arrival assessment is intended to help those people.
"We're saying: truth in advertising. Don't bother coming to Canada if you don't have at least an even shot at having your education and your skills recognized," he told reporters.
"And I think we're doing those people a favour and we're doing Canada a favour. There's no shortage of people who want to migrate here. Let's invite those who have the best chance of success."
The new requirement would mean that applicants seeking to come in under the federal skilled workers program would have a sense before they arrive whether they'll be able to get work in their field.
The question of how to assess foreign schooling and training has long been a contentious issue in immigration policy.
Kenney says the early examination of credentials will give skilled workers a comparison with Canadian standards and an understanding of how Canadian employers will judge their education and training.
It will also help weed out people whose credentials aren't up to snuff.
Immigration Canada says the change is part of an effort to address the problem of immigrants who come to Canada, but cannot find work in their chosen field.
The department stresses, though, that this early assessment won't mean assured employment, nor will it guarantee that an immigrant will be allowed to practice in a regulated occupation, such as medicine.
Applicants seeking to enter such a profession would have to have their bona fides assessed in greater depth by professional regulatory bodies in the provinces.
The government has a review office which studies the foreign credential problem and suggests ways of assessing foreign training and expertise and bridging gaps with Canadian requirements.
For years there have been anecdotal complaints about foreign PhDs reduced to driving taxis because their diplomas either aren't recognized or aren't considered to meet Canadian standards.
Kenney said the pre-arrival assessment is intended to help those people.
"We're saying: truth in advertising. Don't bother coming to Canada if you don't have at least an even shot at having your education and your skills recognized," he told reporters.
"And I think we're doing those people a favour and we're doing Canada a favour. There's no shortage of people who want to migrate here. Let's invite those who have the best chance of success."
And another article from the Vancouver Sun:
OTTAWA — In an effort to address issues surrounding foreign credential recognition, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has proposed a plan to assess skilled workers before they arrive in Canada.
For instance, immigrants applying to come to Canada as federal skilled workers would have their education credentials verified by a third party.
If adopted, the plan would give newcomers a sense of how their credentials stack up against someone with a similar Canadian education. It's also expected any new policy would screen out those who don't have adequate levels of education.
Kenney ultimately hopes it will address the problem of immigrants arriving in Canada only to discover they can't work in their respective field.
"Our government is building an immigration system that is focused on economic growth and ensuring that all Canadians, including immigrants are able to contribute to their maximum capacity," Kenney said Wednesday. "By having their foreign education credentials assessed before their arrival to Canada, foreign skilled workers will have a better sense of how their credentials fit into the Canadian labour market and will be able to contribute their full skill set to the economy more quickly."
The pre-arrival assessment does not guarantee the applicant will find work in Canada commensurate with their skills, nor does it guarantee they'd become licensed in their field.
That would require a more in-depth assessment by a professional regulatory body in the jurisdiction in which they intend to settle.
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