Over 1,450 individuals from diverse backgrounds have provided their valuable feedback during an extensive public engagement process on the international credential-recognition progress.
The feedback received from this engagement, which includes an online survey and roundtables, will play a pivotal role in shaping future legislation aimed at enhancing credential recognition for newcomers to British Columbia (B.C.).
The Province initiated this public engagement in spring 2023, reaching out to internationally trained professionals, educational institutions, immigrant-serving organizations, business associations, health-care associations, regulatory authorities, and members of the public. The objective was to gather insights and perspectives on the existing international credential recognition system and identify ways to improve it.
Andrew Mercier, the Minister of State for Workforce Development, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating that the system needs improvement to ensure fairness and provide the necessary support for internationally trained professionals to succeed and practice in B.C.
A staggering 1,450 British Columbians actively participated in the public engagement process, contributing their thoughts on enhancing the credential recognition process and eliminating unnecessary barriers for newcomers to Canada. The feedback they provided was collated into a comprehensive report, highlighting eight key themes for improvement:
- Streamlining complex processes and shortening timelines.
- Enhancing the accessibility, consistency, and transparency of licensure process information.
- Exploring alternative pathways for credential recognition.
- Investigating more flexible approaches to demonstrate language proficiency.
- Introducing performance standards for data and reporting.
- Increasing financial and other forms of support for internationally trained professionals and regulatory authorities.
- Improving coordination between government and regulatory authorities at both the provincial and federal levels.
- Strengthening collaboration among regulatory authorities, educational institutions, employers, and immigrant-serving organizations to support licensure and integration.
David Lee, director of employment at Mosaic, an immigrant-serving organization, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, as well as Minister Andrew Mercier and his team, for actively seeking input from immigrant professionals. He believes that this direct engagement with those facing barriers to credential recognition will pave the way for necessary improvements in the process, ultimately benefiting newcomers seeking employment opportunities in B.C.
The insights collected through the public engagement process will serve as a foundation for streamlining the international credential-recognition process and shaping future legislation in this domain.
Quick Facts:
- The feedback received from the public engagement will be instrumental in guiding new legislation and other measures aimed at enhancing credential recognition in B.C.
- The online survey attracted responses from 953 internationally trained professionals, 185 domestically trained professionals, 98 representatives of immigrant-serving organizations, and 108 other members of the public.
For those interested in reading the full “what we heard” report on international credential recognition, it is available at the following link: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/121/2023/07/What-We-Heard-Report-International-Credential-Recognition-2023-07-24.pdf
