B.C. plans to introduce new legislation this fall in hopes of streamlining credential recognition for internationally trained professionals.
Premier David Eby was at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Surrey campus Tuesday (Oct. 10) for a town hall to discuss what progress the province has made on international credential recognition in healthcare and the work being done to expand to all sectors of the economy. The recognition refers to the process of having education, skills and work experience from outside of Canada recognized as comparable to Canadian standards.
The province estimates that in the next decade, 387,000 newcomers are expected to enter the B.C. workforce, filling 38 per cent of job openings.
The legislation coming this fall is aimed at helping regulatory bodies improve the credential recognition process and making it easier for people to use their skills to work in B.C. It includes four themes: accountability, fairness, transparenc and efficiency.
The province says these changes will “help create clear streamlined pathways for skilled people with international credentials while maintaining excellence in services and making sure B.C.
The town hall comes after consultations and public engagement with more then 1,450 people, the province noted.
A report was also released in July identifying several priorities in improving credential recognition. Feedback in the report included comments around inconsistent information, insufficient support and difficulty registering.
MERCIER: Internationally trained professionals continue their careers in B.C.