by Wallace Immen
A new law passed this week in Ontario aims to make it easier for foreign-trained professionals to escape from entry-level jobs and get licensed in their specialties after they immigrate here. But while advocates for immigrants and professional societies say the law is long overdue, it is only a first step toward helping newcomers use their skills in Canada. Ontario became the first province to require professions to set up procedures to speed the certification and licensing of internationally trained specialists. The Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, requires Ontario's 34 regulated professions to ensure their licensing process is "fair, clear and open." The professional associations will be required to show that they have procedures that assess educational credentials and professional experience gained in other countries as quickly as possible, said Ontario Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle.
"It will go a long way to ensure that newcomers are a brain gain for Ontario, not a brain waste." A fairness commissioner will be appointed in the new year who would be responsible for assessing registration and licensing practices, and reviewing the results of credentials assessments to ensure compliance with the law, Mr. Colle said. And an access agency will be created with advisers to help foreign trained professionals navigate the process of submitting their credentials and going through the licensing process, as well as providing help with skills upgrading, internships and mentoring programs. "We see this as a significant step forward," said Elizabeth McIsaac, director of policy for immigrant advocacy group Maytree Foundation in Toronto. And it is long overdue, she adds. The group has been lobbying governments in all provinces for the past two decades to lower the barriers to foreign-trained professionals, she said. However, it is still unclear how the regulations will be applied and enforced, Ms. McIsaac said. "What we are hoping to see is that the commission will require public reporting on who is getting into professions and who is not, which would point to the need for more training for people from particular countries."
She added that there is no explicit appeals process in the legislation, so it is unclear how people who are passed over for licensing could file complaints. There are also questions about whether the law will actually help more foreign-trained professionals to land jobs that use their skills. "This is a much more complex issue than licensing," said Patrick Quinn, president of the Professional Engineers of Ontario in Toronto. His association has always been open in the way it evaluates the qualifications of immigrant engineers, he said. Last year, more than half of those receiving credentials as professional engineers in Ontario were foreign trained, he said. However, there are currently more engineers than new positions opening up in the profession, Mr. Quinn said. "So, I don't think this will really change the number of immigrants who are able to find work in the profession." However, the Certified Management Accountants of Ontario sees the access agency as a way to help fast-track skilled immigrants into full employment, said David Hipgrave, president and chief executive officer of CMA Ontario. There is a shortage of accountants across Canada, he added. "This legislation, together with the right regulations and the commitment of all regulators, can place Ontario at the forefront of fair access for the internationally trained."
A new law passed this week in Ontario aims to make it easier for foreign-trained professionals to escape from entry-level jobs and get licensed in their specialties after they immigrate here. But while advocates for immigrants and professional societies say the law is long overdue, it is only a first step toward helping newcomers use their skills in Canada. Ontario became the first province to require professions to set up procedures to speed the certification and licensing of internationally trained specialists. The Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, requires Ontario's 34 regulated professions to ensure their licensing process is "fair, clear and open." The professional associations will be required to show that they have procedures that assess educational credentials and professional experience gained in other countries as quickly as possible, said Ontario Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle.
"It will go a long way to ensure that newcomers are a brain gain for Ontario, not a brain waste." A fairness commissioner will be appointed in the new year who would be responsible for assessing registration and licensing practices, and reviewing the results of credentials assessments to ensure compliance with the law, Mr. Colle said. And an access agency will be created with advisers to help foreign trained professionals navigate the process of submitting their credentials and going through the licensing process, as well as providing help with skills upgrading, internships and mentoring programs. "We see this as a significant step forward," said Elizabeth McIsaac, director of policy for immigrant advocacy group Maytree Foundation in Toronto. And it is long overdue, she adds. The group has been lobbying governments in all provinces for the past two decades to lower the barriers to foreign-trained professionals, she said. However, it is still unclear how the regulations will be applied and enforced, Ms. McIsaac said. "What we are hoping to see is that the commission will require public reporting on who is getting into professions and who is not, which would point to the need for more training for people from particular countries."
She added that there is no explicit appeals process in the legislation, so it is unclear how people who are passed over for licensing could file complaints. There are also questions about whether the law will actually help more foreign-trained professionals to land jobs that use their skills. "This is a much more complex issue than licensing," said Patrick Quinn, president of the Professional Engineers of Ontario in Toronto. His association has always been open in the way it evaluates the qualifications of immigrant engineers, he said. Last year, more than half of those receiving credentials as professional engineers in Ontario were foreign trained, he said. However, there are currently more engineers than new positions opening up in the profession, Mr. Quinn said. "So, I don't think this will really change the number of immigrants who are able to find work in the profession." However, the Certified Management Accountants of Ontario sees the access agency as a way to help fast-track skilled immigrants into full employment, said David Hipgrave, president and chief executive officer of CMA Ontario. There is a shortage of accountants across Canada, he added. "This legislation, together with the right regulations and the commitment of all regulators, can place Ontario at the forefront of fair access for the internationally trained."
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