Assisting Internationally Trained Individuals:
An Overview of Key Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Programs/Initiatives
Presentation to
Opening Doors Workshop
Seneca College, Markham Campus
March 3, 2010
Overview
The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI) provides a range of services
to help Ontario’s newcomers and internationally trained individuals (ITIs) find
employment at a level commensurate with their skills and education.
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Global Experience Ontario
Bridge Training Programs
Bridge Training Success Stories (incl. 2 video clips)
Adult Non-Credit Language Training
Specialized Language Training
Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program
Newcomer Settlement Program
The Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications
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Global Experience Ontario (GEO)
 GEO is an access centre for Internationally Trained Individuals
and others who are interested in applying for licensure and
registration in the 14 non-health regulated professions in Ontario.
 GEO is co-located with HealthForceOntario (HFO) Access
Centre. Internationally trained and educated health professionals
who visit the HFO Access Centre can learn how to qualify for
professional practice in Ontario's regulated health professions.
For more information, please visit www.healthforceontario.ca and
follow the links to the Access Centre.
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GEO (cont’d)
What are the 14 Non-Health Regulated Professions?
• Architect
• Certified Engineering
Technician and
Technologist
• Certified General
Accountant
• Certified Management
Accountant
• Chartered Accountant
• Early Childhood Educator
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Forester
Land Surveyor
Lawyer (including Paralegal)
Professional Engineer
Professional Geoscientist
Social Worker and Social
Services Worker
• Teacher
• Veterinarian
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GEO (cont’d)
What Does GEO Do?
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Provides information, assistance and referrals by email, telephone and in person to:
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Internationally Trained Individuals (ITIs)
Government and Community Agencies
Educational Institutions
Employers
Occupational and Professional Associations
Regulatory Bodies
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Conducts research, analyzes trends and identifies issues related to the Fair Access to
Regulated Professions Act and the registration of ITIs and others by regulated
professions.
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GEO ensures that relevant and current information about regulated professions and
trades is always available to ITIs through Career Maps. Career Maps explain in detail
the registration process, including credential assessment process, licensing fees,
language requirements, industry trends, labour market conditions, and other important
information.
Maps are available online at: www.OntarioImmigration.ca
E-Career Maps are available at: http://settlement.org/
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GEO (cont’d)
GEO Assists Internationally Trained Individuals with Questions Such As:
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Do I need to get a license to work as a teacher?
How long will it take to be licensed as a mechanical engineer?
How much will it cost to get a license? Do you provide financial
assistance?
Why are they asking for Canadian work experience?
Can you find me a job?
Where can I get my credentials assessed?
Can you help me prepare for the exams?
What (free) training can I get?
I am planning to immigrate to Canada/Ontario, what advice can you
give me about settlement and finding employment in my profession?
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Bridge Training Programs
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Bridge Training Programs assess a newcomer’s skills and provide targeted training that
addresses only what a skilled newcomer needs to meet requirements for licensure and
employment in regulated and non-regulated professions in Ontario.
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In addition, bridging programs may also help Ontario’s employers and institutions better
assess and integrate skilled newcomers effectively into Ontario’s workforce
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Project partners typically include post-secondary institutions, regulators, employers,
community agencies, and the federal government.
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Bridging programs have assisted internationally trained nurses, pharmacists, teachers,
laboratory technicians and skilled tradespeople, among others, to continue their careers
in Ontario.
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Many bridging programs offer a higher-level language training component. Language
proficiency and communication skills are key to newcomers obtaining and retaining
meaningful employment.
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Bridge Training Programs (cont’d)
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MCI’s Labour Market Integration Unit (LMI) funds bridge training programs in the
following three categories:
1. Getting a License – Provide training to assist internationally trained individuals
to obtain licensure and employment in regulated professions.
2. Getting a Job – Provide training to assist internationally trained individuals to
obtain employment in non-regulated professions, as well as individuals who have
already obtained licensure and are now seeking employment.
3. Changing the System - Initiatives that create change on a system-wide or
sector-wide basis to improve the integration of internationally trained individuals
into the labour market.
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Bridge Training Programs (cont’d)
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Ontario Bridge Training Programs may offer participants:
– Academic and technical training
– Occupation-specific language training
– Workplace culture and communication training (i.e., “soft skills”)
– Work experience (e.g., internships, mentorships, clinical placements)
– Employment services (e.g., labour market orientation, job search skills,
interview preparation)
– Licensure exam preparation
For more information, please visit:
http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/english/bridge.asp
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Bridge Training Success Stories
Disseminating Successful Models
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One of the first bridge training programs, CARE developed an effective model of
helping internationally educated nurses (IENs) get licensed and employed.
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CARE delivers itinerant services in London and Hamilton Region and has helped over
1000 IENs get licensed and employed.
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CARE also partners with bridge training programs for IENs at York University,
Centennial College, Mohawk College, Algonquin College, Fanshawe College, and
George Brown College.
Video Clip: Nursing – York University
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Bridge Training Success Stories (cont’d)
Meeting Ontario’s Labour Market Needs
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The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), in partnership with
Professional Engineers Ontario, developed a bridge training program
specifically for internationally trained environmental engineers.
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The Professional Access and Integration Enhancement (PAIE) program
helping is helping 40 environmental engineers who were trained abroad to
translate their international credentials and experience into Ontario jobs.
“Not only did PAIE program get me a work placement, but it also
put me in a position where I can learn more skills, make
contributions to an organization that I can be proud of, boost my
self-esteem and most of all keep me close to the achievement of
my goal.”
Leany Moreno, originally from the Philippines
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Bridge Training Success Stories (cont’d)
Improving Outcomes on Licensure Exams
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The International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG) Ontario Bridge Training
Program at the University of Toronto has improved the pass rate on the
pharmacy licensure exam from 20% to 92%.
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The IPG program has an employment success rate of almost 100%, helping
to meet Ontario’s demand for qualified pharmacists.
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Bridge Training Success Stories (cont’d)
Addressing Under-employment
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An internationally trained early childhood educator (ECE) was only able to
find employment in a fast food chain.
Less than a year after completing an Ontario Bridge Training Program, she
is now a fully certified ECE educator and is working in her field again in
Ontario.
Video Clip: ECE – AECEO
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Adult Non-Credit Language Training
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Provides English and/or French language training to adult immigrants to
improve their language skills.
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There are over 120,000 learners enrolled in the program.
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Classes are offered through local school boards at nearly 400 locations across
Ontario – schools, adult learning centres, community organizations, churches,
libraries and other locations.
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Courses are offered at many levels of language ability, from beginner to more
advanced levels and include a variety of customized courses such as:
– TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) preparation
– Occupation-specific language training
– ESL for literacy
To find a language training class in your local community please visit
www.ontarioimmigration.ca/adultlanguagetraining
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Specialized Language Training (Pilot Projects)
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Pilot projects offer occupation-specific language training at varying levels of
language ability, both in and for the workplace.
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Pilot projects are designed to strengthen immigrants’ language skills so they can:
 Gain employment that reflects their qualifications; or
 Function more effectively in current jobs.
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This initiative promotes the development and testing of innovative curriculum with a
focus on occupation-specific terminology for different employment sectors.
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Projects target a variety of occupational sectors including: accounting, business,
finance, engineering, health care, hospitality and skilled trades.
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As a result of the 2009/10 Invitation for Applications, 16 school boards will be
delivering 31 projects over the next 3 years.
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Language Training Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the Adult Non-Credit Language Training Program or the
Specialized Language Training Pilot Projects, a learner must be an individual:
1. Whose first language is neither English nor French; and
2. Who is at least eighteen years old, or an early school leaver, or has completed
his/her high school diploma and is not a day school pupil enrolled in any
publicly supported day school in Ontario; and
3. (a) Who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, Convention
refugee or a refugee claimant; or
(b) Who is a provincial nominee, or their dependant, who has been
approved through the Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program but
has not yet been processed to receive permanent resident status; or
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Who is a temporary foreign worker, or their dependant, who has
been approved through the Canadian Experience Class but has not yet
been processed to receive permanent resident status; or
(d) Who is approved as a foreign domestic worker admitted under the LiveIn Caregiver program.
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Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program
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Opportunities Ontario can nominate up to 1,000 individuals per year. As a
result to the economic downturn, the program expects to nominate
approximately 500 individuals and their families in the Fiscal Year 20092010.
Nominations are made in two Categories:
– General Category allows employers to recruit skilled foreign workers to address
their human resource needs. It also allows investors to bring in key employees.
– International Student Category allows employers to recruit international
students to address their human resource needs.
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Opportunities Ontario is employer-driven:
1. Employers apply to Opportunities Ontario to request positions. Investors apply
to an Ontario ministry to have their investment proposal endorsed.
2. Once positions are approved, recruited individuals submit a nominee
application. Fees are charged at this stage.
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Applications are processed on a first-come-first-served basis.
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Opportunities Ontario (cont’d)
Employer Eligibility Criteria: General and International Student Categories
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Employers must demonstrate they meet eligibility criteria by having:
– An active business for at least 3 years as a corporation, limited
partnership or sole proprietorship.
– At least $1 million in revenues in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or
$0.5 million in revenues outside the GTA .
– At least 5 Full Time Employees (FTEs) in the GTA or 3 FTEs outside
the GTA.
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Employers can request multiple nominee positions depending on the
number of employees they have, up to a maximum of 20. There is no
maximum for nominee positions employers can request in the Health and
Education sectors.
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Opportunities Ontario (cont’d)
Nominee Position Eligibility Criteria:
General and International Student Categories
• Nominee positions requested by
employers and investors will need to
meet all of the following to be
eligible:
– Be in any managerial,
professional, or skilled trade
occupation.
– Be permanent and full-time.
– Receive a market wage.
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Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program
Why choose Opportunities Ontario?
Foreign workers and international
students will want to participate because
they and their immediate families will
obtain permanent residence in Canada
faster.
• No work experience requirement
• No language testing
• No point system
• Provincial Nominees receive priority
processing from CIC
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Newcomer Settlement Program
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MCI’s Newcomer Settlement Program (NSP) is delivered through a network of
community-based organizations across the province. NSP consists of programs and
services that help newcomers settle, integrate and become fully engaged in all aspects
of life in Ontario.
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Services provided as part of NSP include basic job search assistance and information
and referral to skills training and employment support programs.
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NSP complements federally funded settlement services, delivering services to a broad
range of newcomers including Canadian citizens and refugee claimants who are not
eligible for federal settlement services.
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NSP funded services have flexible eligibility criteria and are open to a broad range of
clients including:
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Permanent residents including Convention Refugees
Canadian citizens
Refugee claimants
Newcomers admitted under Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program
Foreign domestic workers admitted under the Live-In Caregiver Program
Minister’s permit holders who have special permission to remain in Canada for the purposes of
becoming a permanent resident.
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Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and
Recognition of Foreign Qualifications
• Pan-Canadian Vision:
 A fair and competitive labour market environment where immigrants have the opportunity to
fully use their education, skills and work experience for their benefit and for Canada's
collective prosperity
• The Framework represents a public commitment by all governments to
take action on the issue of qualification recognition
 Principles-based: Processes and practices must be fair, transparent, timely, and consistent
across Canada
 Collaborative and integrated: Successful implementation requires a collaborative,
supportive, and respectful environment
 Deadline-driven: By December 31, 2010, an initial set of target occupations will achieve the
commitment to timely service
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Pan-Canadian Framework (cont’d)
Guiding Principles for the Framework
• Fairness: The criteria used for determining recognition of qualifications are objective,
reasonable, and do not exhibit bias.
• Transparency: Requirements for applying to a specific occupation, as well as the
methods for assessment and criteria for recognition of foreign qualifications, are fully
described, easy to understand, and widely accessible to immigrants.
• Timeliness: The assessment and recognition of foreign qualifications, as well as the
communication of assessment decisions, are carried out promptly and efficiently.
• Consistency: The methods for assessment and criteria used for determining recognition
of qualifications for specific regulated occupations are mutually acceptable in each
province and territory of Canada so that the results of the assessment processes are
mutually acceptable.
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Pan-Canadian Framework (cont’d)
Commitment to Timely Service
• Pan-Canadian Commitment to Timely Service:
Within one year, based on a perfected and complete application, an individual will know
whether their qualifications will be recognized, or be informed of the additional
requirements necessary for registration, or be directed toward related occupations
commensurate with their skills and experience
• Target Occupations will have an action plan in place to develop the processes and supports
necessary to ensure the application of the Framework’s principles, including achieving the PanCanadian Commitment to Timely Service
By December 31, 2010:
-Architects
-Engineers
-Financial Auditors and Accountants
-Medical Laboratory Technologists
-Occupational Therapists
-Pharmacists
-Physiotherapists
-Registered Nurses
By December 31, 2012:
-Dentists
-Engineering Technicians
-Licensed Practical Nurses
-Medical Radiation Technologists
-Physicians
-Teachers (K-12)
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Contact Information
• In person:
Global Experience Ontario
163 Queen Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5A 1S1
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E-mail: GEO@ontario.ca
Tel: 1-866-670-4094 or 416-327-9694
TTY: 416-327-9710
Fax: 416-327-9711
• Web site: www.OntarioImmigration.ca
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