When immigrants arrive in Canada, there’s a reluctance — and sometimes outright refusal — to recognize their professional credentials and experience. Going back to school to get that degree from scratch is out of reach for many, in terms of both time and money. Jan De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade suggested solution? A six-month set of refresher courses, followed by a co-op placement. >> Construction; Health care; IT (Information technology); Retail
One of the dominant stories about newcomers to Canada a decade or so ago was the professional — a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer — driving a cab or delivering pizza or working behind the counter at Tim Hortons. This only partly mythical figure has faded in recent years, but the issue of credentials and certification hasn't gone away. >> Credentials
A newcomer woman from Peru, now living in Toronto, is finding success after going through YWCA's Commercial-Residential Painter Decorator Pre-Apprenticeship program, part of its larger Women in Trades program. >> Construction; Women
Newcomer Welding Professional Credential Assessment (NWPCA) portal, to be developed by the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB), aims to help foreign welders gain credentials. The bilingual portal, which was started in February, 2019, will be launched as a pilot program in 18 months, in hopes of going fully operational in two years. >> Construction; Welding; Credentials
Engineers, architects, nurses and dentists educated abroad are among the targets for a new government office that would work with professional licensing bodies to simplify and accelerate foreign credential recognition. >> Credentials
Windmill Microlending helps newcomers return to their careers in Canada with small, low-interest loans or zero-interest loans for refugees, which help pay for reaccreditation costs. >> Loans
Many refugees who arrive in Canada are highly skilled, but have little access to evidence to prove their academic achievements. >> Credentials
A Canadian non-profit tested whether its researchers could accurately re-create transcripts, diplomas and degrees destroyed by war, earthquakes, fire and chaos. It turns out they can. >> Credentials
Benefiting from the new Career Accelerator for Internationally Trained Health Professionals project, the Halton Multicultural Council will help up to 160 highly skilled newcomers with experience and education in the health care sector plan for and secure equivalent career levels, overcome barriers, and gain Canadian professional work experience in order to reach their full labour market potential. >> Health care
A refugee newcomer to Calgary, who was a university professor in Burundi, was able to quickly complete a qualification exam and despite limited English experience, was able to register with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. He went on to complete a master's in civil engineering to legitimize his credentials and restarted a company he founded in Burundi: Technosol Engineering. >> Engineering; Entrepreneurship