By Canadian Immigrant Magazine |
A new credential legislation has been introduced in the province of British Columbia, on Oct. 23, 2023, to help internationally trained professionals, such as engineers, social workers, early childhood educators, paramedics, teachers and biologists, get their credentials recognized more quickly.
The international credentials recognition act will properly value international work experience and eliminate the catch-22 of requiring Canadian work experience prior to being accredited in Canada. The legislation will also remove redundant language testing, set caps for maximum processing times, and require credential-assessment information be available online.
“Skilled professionals from around the world move to B.C. hoping to put their skills to good use, but instead face huge obstacles and an often-confusing process to get their credentials recognized,” said Premier David Eby. “With the skills shortage we have in this province, we cannot afford to leave anyone on the sidelines. That’s why we’re taking action to close the gaps in the system so people can get to work faster, fill in-demand jobs and provide much-needed services to people in B.C.”
If passed, this will require regulatory bodies to remove barriers in 29 professions, overseen by 18 regulatory authorities, and make it easier and quicker for those qualified professionals to seek credential recognition, no matter where they were trained. The 29 occupations are:
