Vancouver, British Columbia — The Government of Canada is making it easier for internationally trained midwives to find meaningful work in their field. Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, made the announcement today.
“The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of internationally trained health care professionals to addressing skills shortages and improving the quality of life of Canadians,” said Ms. Young. “This is why we are working with partners like the Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Program so that internationally trained health care professionals can put their knowledge and skills to work sooner in communities across Canada.”
The Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Program is receiving $355,717 in funding through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program for a project that will pilot a streamlined approach to assessing the education and work experience of internationally trained midwives. The project will also help bridge internationally trained midwives into jobs so that they can practice their profession in Canada.
"The Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Program would like to acknowledge the generous funding of the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program for our Accelerated Stream pilot," said Jelena Putnik, Interim Director of the Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Program. "The Government of Canada's vision and support of our goal to create an accessible, streamlined and quick process for internationally trained midwives to prepare and integrate into Canadian practice is invaluable both to address the maternity primary health care provider crisis in Canada and to recognize and utilize the skills and expertise in our immigrant population."
Under the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, the Government of Canada is working with the provinces and territories and other partners, such as regulatory bodies, to improve foreign credential recognition.
This project is an example of how the Framework is bringing meaningful change to the way that newcomers’ qualifications are assessed in Canada.
To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Marian Ngo
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
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This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications
Canada’s Economic Action Plan invested $50 million to work with the provinces and territories and other stakeholders to improve foreign credential recognition. This partnership led to the development of the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.
Under the Framework, service standards were established in 2010 so that internationally trained professionals in eight priority occupations, including architects and nurses, can have their credentials assessed within one year, anywhere in Canada. The Government is now streamlining foreign qualification recognition for six more target occupations, including physicians and dentists. In 2012, the Government of Canada announced support for further improvements to foreign credential recognition and will continue to work in partnership with the provinces and territories to identify the next set of target occupations.
For more information on the Framework, please consult: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/publications/fcr/pcf.shtml
Additionally, the Foreign Credential Recognition Loans Pilot was launched in February 2012. Delivered in cooperation with community organizations, this pilot is helping internationally trained professionals cover the costs of having their credentials recognized, so they can find jobs that best suit their skills and experience.
The Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program and Services
The Foreign Credential Recognition Program aims to improve the integration of internationally trained workers into the workforce. The Program provides funding to and works with the provinces and territories and other stakeholders—including regulatory bodies, post‑secondary institutions, sector councils and employers—to implement projects that facilitate the assessment and recognition of qualifications acquired in other countries.
Established in May 2007, the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) provides information and path-finding and referral services, both in Canada and overseas, to help internationally trained workers have their credentials assessed quickly so they can find work faster in the fields in which they have been trained.
The FCRO works with federal, provincial and territorial partners, as well as with credential assessment and recognition bodies, to strengthen foreign credential recognition processes across the country. Internet-based services for internationally trained workers can be found on the FCRO website at www.credentials.gc.ca.
The Internationally Educated Health Professionals Initiative works with provinces, territories and stakeholders to enable more internationally educated health professionals to put their skills to work in Canada's health system.
The Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Program (MMBP) is an assessment, orientation and bridging process for qualified midwives educated outside of Canada who wish to practice in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Nova Scotia. The MMBP works on behalf of the Regulatory bodies in these jurisdictions to verify midwifery experience and education, and help prepare internationally trained midwives apply their skills and knowledge to the Canadian midwifery model of practice.
