New Democrat MP Paul Dewar tabled a bill that ensures fairness and respect for thousands of foreign-trained professionals in Canada. Dewar also invited the government to adopt the ideas in his bill so that foreign-trained professionals are integrated into the Canadian labour market and contribute their knowledge to our economy.

“Canada is not realizing its full potential” said Dewar. “We invite people to come to our country because of their professional credentials, but then refuse to recognize their knowledge and restrict their contributions to our society”.

Dewar noted that the government has accepted that foreign credentials recognition is a systemic problem requiring action. He invited the government to adopt the provisions in his bill in order to facilitate the fair and respectful recognition of foreign credentials.

Dewar’s bill:

1. Creates a model registration practice for foreign credential recognition that is transparent, objective and impartial;
2. Establishes a Foreign Credentials Recognition Fund to provide funding to provinces, municipalities and community-based organizations to integrate foreign-trained professionals into the workforce; and,
3. Ensures accountability by asking that the Minister report to parliament on the progress in addressing the problem on an annual basis.

“Government’s acknowledgment of the problem is not enough” concluded Dewar. “We need immediate action and I invite the government to adopt the ideas in this bill so that we can address the problem of foreign credentials recognition in Canada”.