by Carmela Fragomeni (cfragomeni@thespec.com)
Two Hamilton immigration experts are urging the Ontario government to fast-track legislation to help newcomers get professional jobs in their field. Morteza Jafarpour, of the Settlement and Integration Services Organization (SISO), and Madina Wasuge, of the new Hamilton's Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI), want Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, proclaimed into law without delay, despite calls from others to amend it first. They don't want the bill to die before the current session of the Legislature ends at the end of this month; or to see a repeat of years-long delays on previous measures to address the problem. Improvements can be made after the bill becomes law, they say. "We need to start somewhere," says Jafarpour, SISO's executive director. The legislation requires the province's 34 regulated professions - from architects and engineers to doctors and lawyers - to have a fair, clear and faster system of assessing credentials of foreign-trained immigrants applying for licences to practice in Ontario.
Only some professions now explain their requirements, and some take months to assess a newcomer's work experience and credentials. "This bill represents one of the boldest attempts by the provincial government to address inequities that confront newcomers," said Wasuge, HCCI's executive director. There are countless stories of foreign-trained doctors, engineers, nurses and other professionals unable to get jobs other than driving taxis, delivering pizzas and other low-income jobs. In Hamilton, Wasuge says the result is that 52 per cent of immigrants live below the poverty line. "In many cases, their education and previous experience could bring invaluable contributions to our local economy." Both Wasuge and Jafarpour are foreign-trained doctors who never got to practice in Canada and have found other career paths. Jafarpour said the bill, if correctly implemented, makes getting licensed and registered to practice a fair process without making regulatory bodies lower or ease their standards. Jafarpour and Wasuge were two of 11 presenters who made submissions yesterday to the standing committee studying the bill. The committee is chaired by Hamilton East MPP Andrea Horwath, whose NDP party is also calling for amendments. NDP critic Peter Tabuns calls the inability of foreign-trained professionals to get jobs in their profession a crisis. "Thousands of professionals from all over the world are working in survival jobs like driving cabs. We are wasting the talents and skills of thousands of people." Denise Brooks, executive director of the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre, also called on the standing committee to make amendments similar to those proposed by the NDP.
Speeding up assessment: Bill 127, the Proposed Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, is aimed at breaking down barriers by mandating fair registration practices for 34 regulated professions. It will make Ontario's professional associations assess foreign credentials and education faster. Thousands of foreign trained immigrant professionals bring skills to Canada that never get used. Immigrants accepted into Canada are more skilled and experienced than ever, but many struggle to find work in their occupation. The Conference Board of Canada estimates this costs the economy $3 billion to $5 billion a year. One hundred foreign-trained doctors meet monthly at SISO to explore ways of getting to practice in Ontario. Ontario gets about 125,000 immigrants a year, more than half with university degrees. Within five years, immigrants will account for all Ontario's net labour force growth. Some amendments sought by various groups, including the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre and the NDP party: * Name all 34 regulated professions in the act. * Specify who will conduct internal reviews or appeals. * Spell out that the proposed Fairness Commissioner will be an independent official, not an appointee of cabinet. * Clearly define "transparent, objective, fair and impartial."
Two Hamilton immigration experts are urging the Ontario government to fast-track legislation to help newcomers get professional jobs in their field. Morteza Jafarpour, of the Settlement and Integration Services Organization (SISO), and Madina Wasuge, of the new Hamilton's Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI), want Bill 124, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, proclaimed into law without delay, despite calls from others to amend it first. They don't want the bill to die before the current session of the Legislature ends at the end of this month; or to see a repeat of years-long delays on previous measures to address the problem. Improvements can be made after the bill becomes law, they say. "We need to start somewhere," says Jafarpour, SISO's executive director. The legislation requires the province's 34 regulated professions - from architects and engineers to doctors and lawyers - to have a fair, clear and faster system of assessing credentials of foreign-trained immigrants applying for licences to practice in Ontario.
Only some professions now explain their requirements, and some take months to assess a newcomer's work experience and credentials. "This bill represents one of the boldest attempts by the provincial government to address inequities that confront newcomers," said Wasuge, HCCI's executive director. There are countless stories of foreign-trained doctors, engineers, nurses and other professionals unable to get jobs other than driving taxis, delivering pizzas and other low-income jobs. In Hamilton, Wasuge says the result is that 52 per cent of immigrants live below the poverty line. "In many cases, their education and previous experience could bring invaluable contributions to our local economy." Both Wasuge and Jafarpour are foreign-trained doctors who never got to practice in Canada and have found other career paths. Jafarpour said the bill, if correctly implemented, makes getting licensed and registered to practice a fair process without making regulatory bodies lower or ease their standards. Jafarpour and Wasuge were two of 11 presenters who made submissions yesterday to the standing committee studying the bill. The committee is chaired by Hamilton East MPP Andrea Horwath, whose NDP party is also calling for amendments. NDP critic Peter Tabuns calls the inability of foreign-trained professionals to get jobs in their profession a crisis. "Thousands of professionals from all over the world are working in survival jobs like driving cabs. We are wasting the talents and skills of thousands of people." Denise Brooks, executive director of the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre, also called on the standing committee to make amendments similar to those proposed by the NDP.
Speeding up assessment: Bill 127, the Proposed Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, is aimed at breaking down barriers by mandating fair registration practices for 34 regulated professions. It will make Ontario's professional associations assess foreign credentials and education faster. Thousands of foreign trained immigrant professionals bring skills to Canada that never get used. Immigrants accepted into Canada are more skilled and experienced than ever, but many struggle to find work in their occupation. The Conference Board of Canada estimates this costs the economy $3 billion to $5 billion a year. One hundred foreign-trained doctors meet monthly at SISO to explore ways of getting to practice in Ontario. Ontario gets about 125,000 immigrants a year, more than half with university degrees. Within five years, immigrants will account for all Ontario's net labour force growth. Some amendments sought by various groups, including the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre and the NDP party: * Name all 34 regulated professions in the act. * Specify who will conduct internal reviews or appeals. * Spell out that the proposed Fairness Commissioner will be an independent official, not an appointee of cabinet. * Clearly define "transparent, objective, fair and impartial."
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