The difficulties with foreign credentials recognition in Canada have negatively affected both newcomers and the Canadian economy. Unfortunately the problem is very complex given the number of stakeholders involved, including over 400 professional regulatory bodies in Canada, and legitimate needs to ensure that job entrants have the necessary skills.

About 15%-20% of occupations in Canada are regulated, meaning that in order to work a licence or certification is mandatory.

Credentials recognition for regulated occupations is mainly a provincial responsibility that has been delegated in legislation to regulatory bodies and as such the rules and process vary between provinces and occupations. Even with unregulated occupations, an employer may still require that employees be registered or certified by a professional association and/or the employer may have difficulty assessing the equivalency of foreign credentials and experience.

While an immigration application is pending, it is wise to determine the requirements and, where possible, complete or at least commence the credentials recognition procedure prior to departure for Canada.

The first step for prospective immigrants is to determine which, if any, regulatory body has authority over their occupation, or which voluntary certification may be available. The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) provides several online resources including a Working in Canada tool that generates a report regarding the applicable regulatory body as well as job descriptions, wages, skill requirements, and job opportunities based on occupation and intended location. The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) is another resource providing similar information.

Once the appropriate association or regulatory body is identified, applicants should review their website or contact them to determine the qualification process. Generally speaking, applicants should be prepared to provide original or certified copies of education/training diplomas and transcripts, proof of work experience (employer letters), and English language test results. The regulatory body or association in their country of residence may be able to provide support or links to their Canadian equivalent.

The Canadian Immigration Integration Project (CIIP) is available to assist those immigrating to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program from the Philippines, China and India. While completing final immigration requirements, principal applicants and their spouse/partner will be offered free advice and guidance to help prepare for employment in Canada.

Provincial apprenticeship departments are responsible for certifying trades people. Some trades are mandatory (licence required) and others are voluntary (requirements will depend on employer), which varies by province. In Manitoba, the Apprenticeship Branch of Manitoba Competitiveness Training & Trade will assess foreign applicants based on number of years/total hours of experience in the trade and issue approval to write the Trades Qualification Exam (usually 4-6 years of relevant experience is required). Certain trades in Manitoba require additional licensing by the Mechanical and Engineering Branch of Manitoba Labour & Immigration. If additional apprenticeship time is necessary to meet experience requirements, financial assistance may be available.

In some cases it is advisable to obtain a formal assessment by a credential assessment and qualification recognition service. There are seven assessment agencies in Canada, with five being provincially mandated services: ACAS (Manitoba), IQAS (Alberta), ICES (British Columbia), WES Canada (Ontario), and CEFAHQ (Quebec). The assessment may be funded by the government for applicants in regulated occupations.

For many occupations, additional testing and/or education may be required after arrival in Canada. Support such as assistance with exam preparation or work experience programs may be available from immigrant service providers, professional associations, or government funded projects.

Manitoba and Ontario recently enacted legislation and appointed Fairness Commissioners to ensure that foreign trained professionals are treated fairly during the assessment process. Bill C-425 (also known as the Foreign Credentials Recognition Act) was recently proposed in Federal parliament to establish model practices for the recognition of foreign credentials as well funding for projects aimed at integrating foreign-trained professionals into jobs in Canada. While we definitely have a long way to go to ensure that new immigrants are treated as equal participants in the labour force, recent initiatives show a positive trend that is certain to continue.