Government of Canada helps hundreds of internationally trained newcomers in Milton get their skills credentials recognized in Canada Français
MILTON, ON, May 23, 2019 /CNW/ - Skilled newcomers often face unique challenges finding work in their field, because of a lack of recognition of their education and training acquired abroad. To ensure a skilled, competitive, and inclusive workforce, the Government of Canada is helping internationally trained newcomers find and keep good, well-paying jobs, which is part of the Government's plan to grow the economy, strengthen the middle class and ensure Canada's future competitiveness.
Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project to help approximately 100 internationally trained newcomers in Milton, Ontario get their foreign credentials recognized so they can integrate into the job market faster, and contribute to our growing economy.
The Government of Canada is providing the Canadian Welding Bureau Group (CWB Group) with $650,000 over two years to develop the Newcomer Welding Professional Credential Assessment (NWPCA) Portal. This new online portal will provide Internationally-Trained Welding Professionals (ITWPs) with employment and training tools, and guidance on how best to get foreign credentials recognized in Canada. This investment will help internationally trained newcomers to find and keep good, well-paying jobs as part of the plan to grow the economy, strengthen the middle class and ensure Canada's future competitiveness.
This investment is being made through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) provides funding to provincial and territorial governments, regulatory bodies, national associations and credential assessment agencies. Governments and organizations use the funding for projects to streamline foreign credential recognition processes. The FCRP also provides loans to newcomers to help them cover expenses related to getting their skills and training recognized. It offers employment support services to help skilled newcomers get their first Canadian work experience in their profession and field of study.
Quotes
"Our success depends on everyone getting a fair chance at success –including newcomers. Helping them get their foreign skills credentials recognized will allow them to pursue their profession in our workforce, benefitting our economy and our people. Through this investment, we are making sure no untapped talent is left behind. When we give newcomers a fair chance at success in Canada, our economy and our middle class grow."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"CWB Group is honoured to receive this Foreign Credential Recognition Program grant from Employment and Social Development Canada to develop a national welding professional credential assessment program. This investment enables us to build a program and develop resources, which support the successful employment of welders across Canada. Newcomers to Canada and Canadian welding professionals will benefit by upgrading their skills and access a suite of career development services to help them secure employment in one of the many industries desperate for skilled welding professionals."
– Michelle Stanford, Senior Vice President, Industry Services
Quick Facts
- Project is expected to help more than 100 Internationally Trained Individual (ITIs).
- Welding is a high growth industry compared to most other occupations. Between 2011 and 2015, welders experienced a 15% growth and 30% for metal workers. At the same time, the industry has seen shortages of candidates and demands from the sector increasing. (Statistics Canada)
- It is expected that 250 newcomers will visit the NWPCA project webpage, 100 of whom will be serviced by the project, and with 50% or more of those participating newcomers expected to join the Canadian labour market.
- Recent immigrants aged 15-64 have a lower employment rate (62.2%) than non-immigrants (71.7%). (Statistics Canada, Census 2016)
- Female newcomers in visible minority groups have a higher unemployment rate (14.4%) than their male counterparts (10.2%) (Statistics Canada, 2011-2016 newcomers to Canada)
Associated Links
- Canadian Welding Bureau Group (CWB Group)
- Foreign Credential Recognition Program
- Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Program
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- Getting a job in a different province or territory
- Budget 2019
Backgrounder
Foreign Credential Recognition Program
The Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) improves the integration of internationally trained newcomers into the workforce. The Program provides funding to and works with the provinces and territories and other stakeholders—including non-profit organizations, regulatory bodies, post-secondary institutions, sectoral stakeholders and employers—to implement projects. There are three areas of focus under the FCRP.
- Simplify and harmonize national credential recognition processes for newcomers.
Foreign credential system modifications: Projects done in collaboration with regulatory bodies and other stakeholders that implement changes to credential recognition processes and systems and help speed up the credential process for newcomers. For example, standardized national exams, centralized information portals and alternative assessment processes. - Provide loans to offset the costs related to having foreign credentials recognized including support services, which help newcomers to navigate the recognition processes.
FCR Loans projects: Overcoming financial barriers to foreign credential recognition is important to help newcomers to Canada join the labour market. The Government of Canada allocates $7 million annually under the FCRP to provide loans and support services such as career and financial counselling to newcomers, so they can address barriers they face. Overall, 11 projects have been launched to help 8,000 skilled newcomers over 4 years. - Test the most effective and efficient ways to help highly skilled newcomers gain their first Canadian work experience in their profession and field of study.
Canadian Work Experience Pilot Project: Helps newcomers eliminate barriers due to a lack of first Canadian professional work experience and help them enter the job market faster. The Government of Canada is investing approximately $3.5 million in the Canadian Work Experience Pilot Project, helping highly skilled newcomers, of which 50% are women, over a period of 27 months.
Call for concepts – FCRP Innovation and Skilled Newcomer Employment
Employment and Social Development Canada closed a call for concepts in April 2019. Eligible stakeholders (e.g. regulatory bodies, professional associations and unions) submitted proposals. This will lead to the design and implementation of innovative employment supports for highly skilled newcomers to improve foreign credential recognition processes here in Canada.
CWB Group
CWB Group provides professional services to companies and individuals in Canada and 34 other countries. With this project's funding, the CWB Group will address the many challenges faced by newcomers who lose valuable time navigating the system and better facilitate the recognition of foreign credentials and competencies of ITWPs. Demands of the welding industry improve while newcomers to the Canadian economy will:
- access clear and detailed information about the foreign credential recognition services available to newcomers, including pre-arrival to Canada: registration, licensure, work experience/skills assessment processes, and potential job opportunities within the industry for ITWPs; and
- experience the benefits of improved capacity, collaboration, communication, cooperation, and consultation between regulators, educators, employers, and other related stakeholders during their foreign credential recognition process.
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
Véronique Simard, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [email protected], 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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