Foreign Credentials and Immigrants in Canada

Given the skills shortage in the labour market, the Canadian government has opened its door to immigration. Over the past decade, Canada has received over 2 million immigrants. Many of them enter as 'skilled workers'. They have professional degrees or technical skills, which are earned in their own countries. These qualifications are commonly termed 'foreign credentials'. Credentials are valuable assets in the job market. This is especially true in a market-driven economy. Workers with professional status or expertise contribute to our manpower needs.

Immigrants and Employment Barriers
The reality shows a grim picture. Skilled immigrants are struggling to find work in their own professions. Many face employment barriers that negatively affect their lives. Their professional qualifications, or foreign credentials, are not recognized by Canadian employers. Immigrants allege that their disadvantages are the result of systemic barriers and discrimination. In a country that prides itself on diversity and equality, it is ironic that skilled immigrants are stuck in an economic impasse. Instead of filling the vital positions that Canada desperately needs, many internationally trained doctors, engineers, teachers, and nurses are taking on menial jobs. They deliver pizza, drive taxis, or sweep floors just to make ends meet.

Social Costs of Non-Recognition of Foreign Credentials
Foreign credentials has received sharpened attention in Canada. Indeed, the non-recognition of immigrant qualifications has serious social and economic implications. On the one hand, society sees the disparity between knowledge and employment. Immigrant professionals suffer reduced income, unemployment, and marginalization. In sum, newcomers are trapped in the lower echelon of society. On the other hand, Canada's economy is adversely affected by non-acceptance of foreign credentials.

Economic Costs of Non-Recognition of Foreign Credentials
If major industries fail to recruit skilled labour, productivity is compromised. In the global economy where efficiency is the norm, companies need to hire qualified people fast. Leaving unfilled positions as they are is unwise business practice. In other words, job vacancies put on drain on our national economy. Letting skilled immigrants to serve coffee or flip hamburgers offers no solution to our labour shortage. Human capital is the key to economic growth. A partially filled workforce has dire fiscal consequences. It costs Canada approximately $6 billion every year.

Accreditation of Foreign Trained Workers
To practice their own professions in Canada, foreign trained workers are required to undergo accreditation. Licensing bodies regulate the assessment of international qualifications. Unfortunately, critics said that accreditation has many flaws. First, accreditation is a lengthy process, marked by red tape. Practical experience or professional degrees earned elsewhere are given little consideration. Immigrants are required to complete the curriculum as if they were freshmen. Second, the costs of accreditation are high. Few immigrants can afford the course of studies. Third, accreditation requirements are ambiguous. Inconsistencies are found in the learning modules and skills upgrading. In fact, there is no guarantee that accreditation will lead to employment. All these factors work to the disadvantage of immigrant professionals. As a result, not many immigrants go for accreditation. Even if they do, few are able to complete the programs.

• Connie Ho Consulting
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• Connie Ho Writer Blog, Montreal Canada

Foreign Credential Recognition (Recommendations)
1. Information dissemination - Lobby the government to disseminate information on the Canadian job market. Use government networks like overseas embassies, visa offices and employment centres for information dissemination.

2. Assessment and accreditation - Ask licensing bodies to streamline the assessment of foreign credentials. Ask regulatory bodies to reduce wait time. Simplify the accreditation procedures for immigrants. Standardize licensing requirements to ensure fairness and transparency.

3. Bridging programs - Lobby the government for more bridging programs for immigrants. These can be ESL instruction and retraining.

4. Specialized support, counseling and subsidies - Establish employment counseling services or specialized support for immigrants. These can be career planning and skills upgrading. Lobby the government for subsidies towards immigrant bridging programs.

5. Employers and workplace - Engage employers in the economic integration of immigrants. Promote diversity, equality and competitiveness in the workplace. Educate employers on the benefits of diverse workforce. Benchmark the best practices in immigrant employment integration.

6. Partnerships and collaboration - Promote multi-stakeholders partnerships to tackle to issue of foreign credentials. Lobby the government and licensing bodies to set uniform strategies and initiatives on accreditation. Increase collaboration among organizations that oversees the monitoring of legislations and decisions pertaining to foreign credentials.