Backgrounder: Foreign Credential Recognition Program

The Foreign Credential Recognition Program aims to improve 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 regulatory bodies, post‑secondary institutions, sectoral stakeholders and employers—to implement projects that facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in other countries.

Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers

The Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers, which was announced in Budget 2017, has three components to help newcomers enter the job market:

• pre-arrival supports;

• a loan program to assist newcomers with the costs of getting their foreign credentials recognized; and

• assistance to acquire first Canadian work experience in their profession or in a related field.

The Strategy will also test innovative approaches to help skilled newcomers gain critical first Canadian work experience in their professions. Pilot projects to assess the value of foreign work experience will be implemented to learn the best ways to facilitate this experience. This could include testing initiatives such as paid internships, mentorships and job matching, and looking at ways to help overcome employers’ reluctance to hire newcomers as a result of difficulties in assessing the value of their foreign work experience.

In September 2017, the Government launched a call for proposals for the Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Program to help newcomers with loans. Newcomers can use the loan to cover costs associated with getting their credentials recognized.

A previous loan pilot project, which ended in 2015, aimed to test models of community-based partnerships. Through this pilot, nine immigrant service and support agencies across Canada were funded to develop and deliver a loan program for internationally trained workers.