HRDC announces new funding and partnership to help foreign-trained engineers get Canadian credentials
Canada is pumping money into a program to help the engineering profession better assess and recognize foreign engineering credentials.
Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, said the federal government is giving the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) $215,000.
“Ours is a country built on immigration,” said Stewart. “We must make it easier for talented immigrants to put their expertise to use. Improving the recognition of foreign credentials is an important step in this direction.”
Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, said the country can’t afford to watch highly trained people lose their skills because they have to wait too long to have their credentials recognized.
“There has been a lot of talk about brain drain,” said Coderre. “Now it’s time to address brain waste.”
How the program will work
CCPE will work with its member provincial and territorial regulatory bodies to implement the project From Consideration to Integration. This project will serve as a vehicle for the engineering profession to explore and develop new models to quickly and efficiently integrate qualified foreign-trained engineers into the profession as licensed professional engineers.
“Integrating foreign-trained engineers into Canada’s engineering profession more quickly and efficiently, without compromising public safety, is a priority issue,” said Marie Lemay, CEO of CCPE. “(This project) recognizes the important role that foreign-trained engineers can play in helping Canada to remain at the forefront of innovation, and the desire of the engineering profession to welcome foreign-trained engineers into its ranks.”
CCPE is the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial licensing bodies that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license professional engineers.
The engineering profession has taken a number of initiatives in the past to help qualified foreign-trained engineers successfully apply for licensure as professional engineers in Canada. It’s hoped the new project will promote a new, collective and holistic approach that will significantly enhance efforts in this area.
Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, said the federal government is giving the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) $215,000.
“Ours is a country built on immigration,” said Stewart. “We must make it easier for talented immigrants to put their expertise to use. Improving the recognition of foreign credentials is an important step in this direction.”
Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, said the country can’t afford to watch highly trained people lose their skills because they have to wait too long to have their credentials recognized.
“There has been a lot of talk about brain drain,” said Coderre. “Now it’s time to address brain waste.”
How the program will work
CCPE will work with its member provincial and territorial regulatory bodies to implement the project From Consideration to Integration. This project will serve as a vehicle for the engineering profession to explore and develop new models to quickly and efficiently integrate qualified foreign-trained engineers into the profession as licensed professional engineers.
“Integrating foreign-trained engineers into Canada’s engineering profession more quickly and efficiently, without compromising public safety, is a priority issue,” said Marie Lemay, CEO of CCPE. “(This project) recognizes the important role that foreign-trained engineers can play in helping Canada to remain at the forefront of innovation, and the desire of the engineering profession to welcome foreign-trained engineers into its ranks.”
CCPE is the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial licensing bodies that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license professional engineers.
The engineering profession has taken a number of initiatives in the past to help qualified foreign-trained engineers successfully apply for licensure as professional engineers in Canada. It’s hoped the new project will promote a new, collective and holistic approach that will significantly enhance efforts in this area.
