Backgrounder: Foreign Credential Recognition Program

Backgrounder

Through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP), the Government of Canada supports the workplace integration of skilled newcomers by reducing barriers to foreign credential recognition; providing Canadian work experience; as well as loans to support the costs to having their credentials recognized.

The program invests approximately $21 million annually to support provinces and territories, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders to help skilled newcomers get their foreign credentials recognized more quickly and better support them to restart their professional careers in Canada. The FCRP has two main activities:

  1. Since 2003, the program has worked closely with its partners to improve credential recognition systems – focusing on streamlining regulatory processes and harmonization of occupational requirements.

  2. In 2017, the program transitioned to also offer direct employment supports to skilled newcomers, as they have shown promise in helping newcomers integrate into the Canadian labour market; including:

    - Loans – The Foreign Credential Recognition Loans projects, which are based on successful pilot projects from 2012-2015, are providing newcomers in need of financial assistance with loans to cover the costs of licensing exams, training, travel and skills upgrading associated with getting foreign credentials recognized. Results of the pilot projects showed that participants were able to enter the job market, earn wages commensurate with their skills more quickly and depend less on government transfers.

    - Canadian Work Experience – These pilot projects test innovative approaches to help highly skilled newcomers gain critical first Canadian work experience in their professions. They will identify the best ways to facilitate access to their first Canadian work experience for skilled newcomers. 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.   

A previous loan pilot, 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 loans projects for internationally trained newcomers.

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