December 02, 2009

CAMBRIDGE, Ontario - Member of Parliament for Cambridge-North Dumfries, the Hon. Gary Goodyear is pleased that the Conservative government has endorsed the new framework to enhance foreign qualification recognition for internationally trained workers.

The Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications is part of the Government of Canada’s strategy to have the best educated, most skilled and most flexible workforce in the world.

“This endorsement will help our immigration system be more responsive to Canada’s needs and by working to address future labour market challenges we will be better positioned to achieve long-term economic success,” said Minister Goodyear.

Recognizing foreign credentials is part of the strategy, and foreign qualification recognition is the process of verifying that knowledge, skills, work experience and education obtained in another country are comparable to the standards established for Canadian professionals and tradespersons.

The Framework states that governments across Canada will work towards better pre-arrival services, assessments that are fair, transparent, consistent and timely across Canada, and improved workforce participation services for newcomers. These services will help internationally trained workers put their training and knowledge to work sooner.

The Foreign Credential Recognition Program and the Foreign Credentials Referral Office are the key federal initiatives in place to support pan-Canadian implementation of the Framework.

The Framework is available on the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Web site at http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/publications/fcr/pcf.shtml.

For more information about foreign qualification recognition, call 1 800 O‑Canada, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca or drop by your local Service Canada Centre.




Backgrounder

To help internationally trained workers find jobs in their career of choice, Canada’s Economic Action Plan is investing $50 million over two years to make the process of assessing and recognizing foreign qualifications more efficient.
In January 2009, the First Ministers agreed that the timely assessment and recognition of foreign qualifications was a priority. The Forum of Labour Market Ministers was given the task of developing a pan-Canadian framework and implementation plan for foreign qualification recognition.
The objective of the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications is to articulate a new joint national vision, guiding principles and desired outcomes for improving the assessment and recognition of newcomers’ qualifications.
The framework will initially be implemented in the following eight occupations by December 31, 2010:

• Architects
• Engineers
• Financial Auditors and Accountants
• Medical Laboratory Technologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Registered Nurses.

During the next phase of implementation ending December 2012, the framework will be implemented in the following six occupations:

• Dentists
• Engineering Technicians
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Medical Radiation Technologists
• Physicians
• Teachers (K-12)

Governments will work with regulatory bodies, post-secondary institutions and other key partners to implement the framework.

The Foreign Credential Recognition Program aims to improve the integration of internationally trained workers into the workforce. The Program provides funding to and works with the provinces and territories and stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, post‑secondary institutions, sector councils and employers, to implement projects that facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in other countries.

The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) was established in May 2007 to help internationally trained workers receive the information, path-finding and referral services, in Canada and overseas, to have their credentials assessed quickly so they can find work faster in the fields for which they have been trained. The FCRO works with federal, provincial and territorial partners, and foreign credential assessment and recognition bodies to strengthen foreign credential recognition processes across the country. Internet services for internationally trained workers can be found on the FCRO Web site at the following address: www.credentials.gc.ca.