Immigration Canada

Career Resources for Newcomer Midwives

Midwives in Canada have fought long and hard to have their profession recognized. It was the 1990s before they achieved their goal of having midwifery become a regulated profession, in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. It is not yet regulated in the other Provinces and Territories, but efforts are still being made there; and you may still need to register with the regulatory body for the profession in those areas of the country, where one exists. New Brunswick has just regulated midwifery, and is still in the process of setting up and integrating midwifery as part of their health care system.

If you are an Internationally Educated Midwife who wishes to continue practicing your profession in Canada, these resources will help you achieve your goal.

All of Canada:

The Canadian Midwifery Regulators Consortium is a network of midwifery regulatory bodies in Canada. Their website has information about the regulation of midwifery in Canada, in English and French, with a special section for Internationally Educated Midwives.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials has information for Internationally Educated Midwives wishing to practice in Canada.

The Canadian Association of Midwives also offers links and information for Internationally Educated Midwives who want to bridge their qualifications and practice in Canada.

Ontario:

The Association of Ontario Midwives has a webpage with the steps needed for an internationally trained midwife to begin practicing in Ontario.

The Government of Ontario provides a Career Map, with details about Internationally Educated Midwives can bridge their qualifications and begin working in Ontario.

Ryerson University offers the International Midwifery Pre-registration Program (IMPP), the only route to midwifery practice in Ontario for Internationally Educated Midwives. It is a 9-month part-time bridging program that includes skills assessments, information, mentoring, clinical placements and a final exam.

HealthForceOntario has information and can provide advisory services for Internationally Educated Midwives on the path toward practice.

The Ontario Midwives website includes support for Internationally Educated Midwives wishing to practice in Ontario.

British Columbia:

The College of Midwives of British Columbia offers programs, self-assessments and links for Internationally Educated Midwives wishing to practice in British Columbia.

The Multi-Jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project is a program designed to help Internationally Educated Midwives meet registration requirements for practicing in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia or Saskatchewan.

The Skills Connect for Immigrants Program has programs to help newcomers in BC find qualification-bridging programs, plan their careers, navigate the Canadian job market and connect with employment in their fields.

WelcomeBC has information for midwives wishing to participate in the Provincial Nominee Program. Midwives and other health care professionals are listed under “Strategic Occupations”.

Alberta:

The Alberta Association of Midwives has information about midwifery in Alberta, and links to the Multi-Jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project (see above).

Directions for Immigrants provides information for Internationally Educated Midwives, but still details the PLEA program, which has been replaced by the Multi-Jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project (see above).

Alberta Health and Wellness regulates the profession of midwifery in the Province.

Saskatchewan:

Saskatchewan Canada Immigration has an overview and career map with the steps to licensing for Internationally Educated Midwives.

The Saskatchewan College of Midwives provides information on how Internationally Educated Midwives can become licensed to practice in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health offers this application for a bursary (grant for payment or partial payment of tuition) for Internationally Educated Midwives accepted into the Multi-Jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project (see above).

The Midwives Association of Saskatchewan is a professional association which links to the Multi-Jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project (see above).

Manitoba:

The College of Midwives of Manitoba is the regulatory body for the profession of midwifery in the Province, with links and support for Internationally Educated Midwives who want to practice in Manitoba.

The Midwives Association of Manitoba is a professional association with information about a project under development called “Pathways to Midwifery”, at versity College of the North, for Internationally Educated Midwives wishing to practice in Manitoba.

Immigrate to Manitoba, Canada is a government immigration website with information for Internationally Educated Midwives wishing to practice in the Province.

Québec:

Ordre des sages-femmes du Québec is the regulatory body dedicated to the profession of midwifery in Quebec. Their website has information for Midwives educated outside of either Québec or France. Their website also features an evaluation tool. French only.

New Brunswick:

No Provincial resources currently available. See “All of Canada” for resources.

Prince Edward Island:

No Provincial resources currently available. See “All of Canada” for resources.

Nova Scotia:

The Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia is the governing body of the profession in the Province, and has resources for Internationally Educated Midwives.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

The Association of Midwives of Newfoundland and Labrador is a professional association promoting the profession in the Province.

Nunavut:

No Provincial resources currently available. See “All of Canada” for resources.

Northwest Territories:

Source: http://www.cnmag.ca/work-in-your-field/104-medical-professions/midwifery/1406-resources-for-internationally-educated-midwives

Career Resources for Newcomer Medical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians

English: Mohawk College, Hamilton, Canada. Fennell campus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you've just immigrated to Canada, and you're a trained medical laboratory technologist or technician with qualifications from your home country... you're probably having a hard time finding a job in your field.

There are resources across the country that can help you with that. Canada needs more people with your skills and accomplishments. So here are some resources, courses, and programs to help get you back to the lab! You’ll want to look at the All of Canada section first. And please note that Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon are not listed because there are no special resources specific to those territories.

All of Canada:

The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) has a certification process in place for internationally-trained General Medical Laboratory Technologists, Clinical Genetics Technologists (cytogenetics and molecular genetics), and Diagnostic Cytology Technologists (gynaecological and non-gynaecological analysis), in English and French. They'll prepare you for the Prior Learning Assessment Process. From there they determine whether you'll need a Learning Plan for further education, or if you can just write the exams to qualify as a Medical Laboratory Technologist certified to work in Canada.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) has a webpage of information for internationally-trained medical laboratory technologists, including information on qualifications assessment, regulatory bodies, and other information specific to each province.

The Government of Canada provides a website showing how to become qualified and find work as a medical laboratory technologist in Canada.

Ontario:

The Ontario Society of Medical Technologists (OSMT) provides a refresher-course packet, including practice exams, which students review at their own pace, in preparation for the OSMT (Technician) qualifying examinations.

Mohawk College offers bridging programs for internationally-educated medical laboratory technologists who want to continue their work, with financial help offered by the Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program. The Mohawk bridging program also includes sector-specific language courses, and preparation for the CSMLS (Technologist) exam.

The Michener Institute offers bridging programs for internationally-educated medical laboratory technologists and radiologists, with financial help offered by the Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program.

Health Training Online offers a program involving study, review questions, and mock exams to prepare you to write the OSMT (Technician) certification examinations.

Algonquin Career Academy has an OSMT (Technician) exam preparation course with topic reviews and mock exams.

Medix Online provides an online OSMT (Technician) exam review program, with pre-tests for all topics and mock exams, and access online to instructors when you have questions.

The Medix School, Kitchener Campus offers tutorial preparation for the OSMT (Technician) exam.

The Robetech Institute provides review courses for the OSMT (Technician) and CSMLS (Technologist) exams, with flexible class scheduling and hands-on practice.

Manitoba:

The College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Manitoba (CMLTM) will execute a Prior Learning Assessment and help you get your credentials evaluated, to determine whether or not you'll need any learning or preparation before writing the CSMLS qualifying exams. The Internationally Educated Applicants page is dedicated to helping Internationally Educated MLTs pass the qualifying exams.

The Manitoba Association for Medical Laboratory Science (MAMLS) is a professional body affiliated with the CSMLS.

Saskatchewan:

The Saskatchewan Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists (SSMLT) will guide you through the Prior Learning Assessment process, determine whether you need further training, and help you arrange to write the CSMLS qualifying exam.

Saskatchewan Immigration outlines the steps for becoming qualified in the province.

Alberta:

The Government of Alberta provides information for internationally educated medical laboratory technologists.

http://acmlt.org/The Alberta College of Medical Laboratory Technologists (ACMLT) is the regulatory body for the profession in Alberta, and you must be registered with them in order to work in the province.

Directions for Immigrants has more information about the process of preparing to work in the field in Canada.

British Columbia:

The British Columbia Society of Laboratory Science (BCSLS) is the professional association for medical laboratory technologists in BC.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) offers a Medical Laboratory Science Professional Qualifying Program for internationally-trained medical laboratory technologists.

The Skilled Immigrant Infocentre has a guide to working in the medical laboratory technologists and assistants field.

New Brunswick:

The New Brunswick Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists (NBSMLT) is currently developing a bridging program, in English and French, for internationally-educated medical laboratory technologists.

The Government of New Brunswick has helpful information about getting your credentials recognized and working in the field.

Prince Edward Island:

http://www.peismt.org/The Prince Edward Island Society of Medical Technologists (PEISMT) is an association for the profession in PEI.

Nova Scotia:

The Nova Scotia College of Medical Laboratory Technologists (NSCMLT) is the regulatory body for the profession in the province, and has an informative webpage for internationally-trained medical laboratory technologists wishing to work in Nova Scotia.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

The Newfoundland and Labrador Society for Medical Laboratory Science (NLSMLS) is a professional association for medical laboratory technologists in the province.

Québec:

Immigration-Québec has a webpage for internationally-trained medical laboratory technologists who want to work in the province.

The Ordre professionnel des technologistes médicaux du Québec is the professional association for medical laboratory technologists in the province.

Source: http://www.cnmag.ca/work-in-your-field/103-medical-professions/medlabtech/1400-career-resources-for-new-canadian-medical-laboratory-technologists

Career Resources for Newcomer Nurses

Miss Haxby is holding a newborn baby that is in an incubator at the Toronto Western Hospital in Toronto, Ont (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You got your education and became a Registered Nurse. You worked in this challenging field, giving your skills and talents to help your patients. Now you've immigrated to Canada. How can you get back to work in your chosen profession?

The following is a directory of resources for newcomer nurses who want to get back into the practice of nursing. Each province and territory has different resources, and different governing bodies that control licensing of nurses. The country as a whole also has a national association, and a national exam, the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination, which all registered nurses must pass in order to be licensed to practice in Canada.

There are some resources here for practical nurses and psychiatric nurses, too; more will follow. All involve help to get your qualifications in line with Canadian requirements, so you can get back to working in the nursing field.

All of Canada:

The Canadian Nurses Association provides information for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to practice in Canada, and sells an Examination Prep Guide to help you get ready to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE).

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials has information on requirements for Internationally Educated Nurses who want to work In the field in Canada.

Ontario:

The College of Nurses of Ontario has pages of information devoted to Internationally Educated Nurses, with information on how they can qualify to register for practice in Ontario.

HealthForceOntario has a special section of their website for nurses outside the province who want to practice, including requirements, immigration information, and other useful resources.

The CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses is an organization dedicated to helping IENs bridge their qualifications and successfully enter nursing in Ontario. They offer workplace-specific language courses, networking, job shadowing, workshops and exam preparation classes.

The Government of Ontario website provides information, career maps and links for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to practice in Ontario.

Mohawk College offers the Bridging for Internationally Educated Nurses (BIEN) Certificate Program, to integrate your skills and safe practices with Ontario standards as required by the College of Nurses of Ontario. The program includes nursing-specific language courses.

Centennial College has a Practical Nurse Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Nurses who do not wish to pursue baccalaureate nursing education in Canada.

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario is a professional association for the profession in the Province, with information and multiple links to help for IENs wishing to practice there.

Fanshawe College offers the Bridging for Internationally Educated Nurses (BIEN) Certificate Program, to integrate your skills and safe practices with Ontario standards as required by the College of Nurses of Ontario.

George Brown College offers an Academic Pathway for Nurses Graduate Certificate Program, which provides Internationally Educated Nurses whom the College of Nurses of Ontario have assessed as needing to meet designated theory and clinical elements.

British Columbia:

The College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia is the governing body of the profession in the province. In addition to information, they provide a registration application package especially for IENs.

The Internationally Educated Nurses Assessment Service of British Columbia provides IENs an opportunity to demonstrate their professional knowledge, skills and abilities, supporting the completion of registration requirements.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University offers a Graduate Nurse, Internationally Educated Re-Entry Certificate Program to enable IENs to bring their qualifications into line with those of British Columbia, and preparing them to write the CNRE.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of British Columbia is the governing body for Practical Nursing in the province, and has information for IENs wishing to be registered in practical nursing.

Thompson Rivers University offers transitioning courses, which Internationally Educated Nurses may use to support their Canadian licensure.

The HealthMatch BC website has a Frequently Asked Questions section for IENs wishing to practice nursing in BC.

Alberta:

The Alberta Learning Information Service offers occupational profiles for different kinds of nursing in Alberta.

The Government of Alberta provides a flowchart for the nursing registration process, as well as information about accreditation and requirements.

The College & Association of Registered Nurses in Alberta has information and links for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to practice in the Province, as well as this set of Instructions for Internationally Educated Applicants.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta also provides information and links for IENs wishing to work as practical nurses in Alberta.

Mount Royal University has an Internationally Educated Nurses Assessment Centre, whose purpose is to provide Substantially Equivalent Competency (SEC) assessment services which support the completion of nursing registration requirements.

The Live and Work in Alberta website has an extensive page with information about how IENs can qualify to work in the Province.

Directions for Immigrants provides information and links for IENs who want to work as practical nurses in Alberta.

Bow Valley College offers a Practical Nurse Diploma for Internationally Educated Nurses Program, for IENs wishing to work as practical nurses in Alberta.

Saskatchewan:

The Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association has information and links for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to practice nursing in Saskatchewan.

The Government of Saskatchewan has resources to help IENs become licensed and practice nursing in the Province.

The Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses details the steps for IENs to licensure for practical nursing in the Province, with helpful links and downloadable forms.

The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) offers an Orientation to Nursing in Canada for Internationally Educated Nurses Certificate Program, designed to bring your qualifications into line with the province’s specifications and prepare you to write the CRNE.

Manitoba:

The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba has a page of Frequently Asked Questions for IENs wishing to qualify to practice nursing in the Province.

Red River College has a Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Nurses which will prepare you for working as a Registered Nurse in Manitoba.

The Manitoba Nurses Union offers programs which help IENs improve their English skills and cultural knowledge related to Canadian nursing, as well as a Diversity Coordinator who can help you learn what you’ll need in order to practice nursing in Manitoba.

The Government of Manitoba provides a Resource Guide for IENs immigrating to Manitoba who want to practice their profession in the Province, as well as a guide to the Licensing Process http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/browse/work_in_manitoba/profession/list/rn.html.

The College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba has information and links for Internationally Educated Psychiatric Nurses who wish to practice in Manitoba.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba provides credentials assessment and resources for IENs who want to work as practical nurses in Manitoba.

Québec:

CEGEP John Abbott College offers a tuition-free Professional Integration Nursing in Québec for Internationally Educated Nurses attestation program, to prepare IENs to integrate into nursing in Québec.

Ordre de infirmières et infirmiers du Québec is the governing body of the nursing profession in Québec, and provides information for IENs wishing to qualify to work in the Province.

The Government of Québec (Immigration-Québec) provides much information for IENs who wish to practice nursing in the Province.

New Brunswick:

The Nurses Association of New Brunswick offers information and links for IENs wishing to practice nursing in the Province.

The Nursing in Atlantic Canada website is specially dedicated to helping Internationally Educated Nurses pursue nursing careers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.

Atlantic Connection for Internationally Educated Health Professionals is a website devoted to helping IENs and others internationally educated in the health care field qualify to continue their careers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.

Prince Edward Island:

The Association of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island provides this downloadable application form for Internationally Educated Nurses http://www.arnpei.ca/images/documents/Registration%20-%20internationally%20educated%20nurses2011.pdf who wish to practice in their field in PEI. The Association requires that prospective nurses who are IENs have their credentials assessed by World Education Services (WES) http://www.wes.org/ca/arnpei.asp.

Capital Health Registered Nurses Professional Development Centre has an Internationally Educated Nurse Assessment Centre, which helps IENs obtain qualifications to work in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Nova Scotia:

The College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia is the governing body for the profession in the Province, and provides information for Internationally Educated Nurses planning to practice in Nova Scotia.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia has information for IENs who wish to work as practical nurses in Nova Scotia.

Health Team Nova Scotia offers steps for IENs to follow for registration and licensure in the Province.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

The Association for Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador is a professional association for nurses, which provides information for IENs wishing to register and practice in the Province.

Practice Newfoundland Labrador has a Resource Guide for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to practice in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador provides information on licensure to practice the profession in the Province.

Nunavut:

The Registered Nurses Association of Northwest Territories and Nunavut is the licensing body for the nursing profession in those Territories, and has licensing information for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to pursue the profession there.

Northwest Territories:

Yukon:

The Yukon Registered Nurses Association is the licensing body for the nursing profession in the Territory, and has licensing information for Internationally Educated Nurses wishing to pursue the profession there.

We hope these resources have been of help. If you find more that you believe we ought to include here, feel free to let us know!

Source: http://www.cnmag.ca/work-in-your-field/102-medical-professions/nursing/1396-resources-for-newcomer-nurses

Easing Barriers for Newcomer Physicians

It seems like every week there is a story in the news about the shortage of medical professionals in Canada. For those of you who trained as physicians in your country of origin, this looked good for your chances to immigrate, as it meant more points with which you qualify. You arrive in Canada expecting to quickly get your license to practice medicine, but discover that the process of getting your license depends on where you settle, and can take a long time; longer, perhaps, than you can afford to take with a family to look after, with no guarantee you will be able to practice your profession at the end of it. While the image of a doctor from Poland driving a cab in Toronto may be the exception rather than the rule, it is true that many individuals who have trained and practiced as doctors in their countries of origin are not practicing their profession here. There are several reasons for this. Immigration is handled at the federal level, and it is they who decide which professions Canada needs most, such as medical practitioners like doctors and nurses. However, the medical professions in Canada, unlike in many other countries, are regulated by professional organisations within each province, rather than centrally at the federal level. Each province has its own rules and processes for licensing physicians, and there are a lot of complications in the system, including:

medical schools that oversee residency training programmes,
provincial regulatory institutions that license physicians, and
federal examination bodies.

“There are a lot of pieces in the puzzle that have to come together,” says Lynne Godfroy of Neighbourhood Link Support Services (on Danforth), “and if one piece is out of alignment, then opportunities [for the newcomer physician to get licensed] are lost.”

And those aren’t the only barriers. Standards of practice are different from country to country, and each province has its own standards and requirements that a newcomer physician must meet. Even if a newcomer physician has practiced in his or her country of origin, he or she must still be assessed to meet those standards and determine whether any additional training is needed.

Ontario collects more than 50 percent of newcomers to Canada, and of those, 90 percent settle in Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). There are six medical schools in Ontario and domestic graduates tend to be given preference to fill residency positions. At the end of the 1990’s, for example, there were only 24 residency positions available to internationally trained physicians in Ontario; and if there were many graduates from local medical schools that year, those spaces were turned over to local graduates, a practice that is common across the country.

However, since 2000, much has changed. The Ontario government (which funds residency positions) has increased the number of spaces available for internationally trained medical graduates (IMGs) from 24 to 200. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario reports that in 2006, 42 percent of licenses granted went to IMGs, up from an average of 25 percent of previous years. Additionally, the College, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Ontario’s six medical schools have been working together to simplify the registration and licensing process and increase the opportunities for assessment and training for newcomer physicians.

While increasing the number of residency spaces has improved the chances for newcomer physicians to become licensed, there are many more applying for those positions than there are positions available. With only the most qualified being accepted, competition is fierce and there are many challenges. An individual must undergo assessment examinations and achieve the highest score he or she can put on their application for a residency training position. Medical schools will choose candidates from this pool of applicants to interview, and the Program Director of the school will offer the residency training positions to those they consider to be the best qualified.

HealthForceOntario Access Centre for Internationally Educated Health Professionals understands the challenges and barriers that IMGs face. The Access Centre is part of a newly formed provincial government agency and is the only organization of its kind in Canada. For newcomer physicians and other internationally trained health care professionals, the Access Centre offers information, advice and support to assist newcomers in the process for licensure and practice.

The Access Centre works with each person, based on what experience they have. For example, a person who has recently graduated from medical school in their country of origin may have different needs and require different information than someone who has been actively practicing medicine for several years. The Access Centre will help newcomers to understand how the process works, work out how long it will take them to practice medicine, and help them develop a plan to achieve their goals. If, for example, a newcomer physician has a family to support and the time to get a license will take too long, a counsellor might suggest other professions their medical education and training might be used for, such as working for a pharmaceutical or insurance company, or perhaps becoming a medical technician or researcher. The Centre also refers the newcomer to language training centres and community organizations to help with the settlement process. The next stage in the process for the newcomer physician is to take assessment examinations. In Ontario, this is handled by the Centre for the Evaluation of Health Professionals Educated Abroad (CEHPEA). CEHPEA is strictly an assessment centre. Newcomer physicians use the results of the CEHPEA assessment to compete for residency training positions.

Newcomer physicians often need additional training because medical programmes outside of Canada may not have the same content, duration, or access to technology as Canadian programmes.

Despite the improvements over the past eight years, as well as the introduction of programs like the Career Transition Program for Internationally Trained Physicians (see page 25), the process for newcomer physicians to get their licenses and to begin practicing their profession is still fairly complicated and time consuming. Decisions made in the 1990’s by the government of the day in Ontario have had a negative effect on the health care profession which is only now being dealt with, in part by easing the barriers that internationally trained physicians have had to face. One suggestion that has been made is to create an arm’s length, independent body that would work outside of the influence of both the federal and provincial governments, that would look at all the areas that affect newcomer physicians, from immigration to licensure, and make sure that the process is made as simple as possible, in all provinces.

For more information about any of the organizations mentioned above and their roles in the process, please visit their websites.

For information about IMG programmes across Canada, visit these websites

Ontario
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
HealthForceOntario
Centre for the Evaluation of Health Professional Educated Abroad (CEHPEA)

British Columbia
International Medical Graduates of British Columbia

Alberta
Medical Communication Assessment Project (M-CAP)

Manitoba
Health Employment Manitoba

New Brunswick
College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick

Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)

Nova Scotia
Clinician Assessment for Practice Program
Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia

Prince Edward Island
Government of Prince Edward Island Skilled Worker Category

Newfoundland
International Medical Graduates