New rules to benefit Canada immigrants

By SHIANEE MAMANGLU
February 15, 2010, 5:39pm

Architects, nurses, teachers, and pharmacists are some of the professionals who will benefit from a new Canada framework seeking to ensure a fair and competitive labor market environment for immigrants, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said Monday.

The DoLE said that the government of Canada recently implemented the “Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications,” which is equivalent to credential recognition, allowing for an individuals/immigrants to have their qualifications recognized and be directed toward related occupations commensurate with their skills and experience.

“The new framework will address specific barriers to qualification recognition. This is another good news for Filipinos,'' Director Salome Mendoza, head of the Canada desk of DoLE told the Bulletin.

"The framework will be implemented in eight occupations starting December 31 for the first batch and in six occupations by 2012 for the second batch,'' she added.

She said the first batch of occupations qualified for assessment for credential recognition include architects, engineers, auditors, accountants, medical laboratory technicians, occupation therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and nurses.

The second batch of occupations include the dentists, engineering technicians, licensed practical nurses, medical radiation technician, physicians, and teachers (from kindergarten to Grade 12), she said.

Mendoza said that many Filipino immigrants today continue to encounter barriers to the recognition of theirs skills, education and experience due to some countries' occupational regulatory systems.

She said the occupational regulatory systems in Canada were designed to respond only to Canadian-educated applicants, although its government developed some flexibility to accommodate applicants in occupations like education or teaching.

According to Mendoza, the new framework was adopted for the purpose of addressing the current gaps to successful immigrant labor market integration.

Under the Pan-Canadian framework, immigrants looking to enter regulated occupations in Canada will now receive clear information as early as possible on the immigration process, fair treatment during the assessment process and prompt communication of recognition decisions.

The framework's purpose is “to articulate a new, joint vision for governments to take concerted action to improve the integration of immigrants and other internationally-trained workers into the Canadian labour market.''

Canada in Top Five countries of the world by Employed Foreign Workers

A recent study shows that Canada among most attractive countries for international skilled workers to seek their employment, it hold 4th position after USA, Britain and Spain. In polls respondents indicated that would try to come to Canada to work, half of those also indicated that will seek for the opportunity to make immigration to Canada through their employment engagements. It is also noted that mobility of work force come with attributes of age and education, it is associated with young professionals with university education in their earlier 30-s. Canadian Immigration requirement for skilled worker immigration program set this criteria as preferred for Canada.

The reasons behind selecting Canada as top choice for immigration are obvious, high level of wages, lower cost of living in comparison to US, greater opportunities for employment within professional experience and educational background, career growth potential, welcoming social environment. Most foreigners working engineers, production operators, technicians and specialists in the field of information technology.

To work temporarily in Canada it is required to obtain Canadian Temporary Work Permit prior or/and related work visa documents prior to be allowed to work in Canada and choose different jobs. Those individuals who choose to apply for permanent residence in Canada upon completion of their initial working contract, having a job a demonstrating ability of finding job will in most cases qualify them for landed immigrant status without living Canada or going the standard immigration to Canada process.