Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - December 2009
A new agreement will reduce the wait for immigrants with foreign credentials, according to the Canadian Government.
This November, the Immigration and Human Resources Ministers announced the federal-provincial agreement that is being called The Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Credential. It is a commitment between the governments and the applicable professional associations to reduce the waiting period to one year for 14 specialized occupations � eight of which will see the wait-times reduced by the end of next year, while the remaining will have until 2012 to implement the necessary changes.
For many new Canadians, whose unrecognized credentials have forced them into low-skilled employment, the announcement is great news. However, critics are wary, saying that the Government�s positive emphasis on the new agreement hedges the fact that still many immigrants will not be able to work in their chosen field.
�I think what we have here is a series of feel-good announcements that are supposed to put a veneer of positive immigration changes over substantially regressive immigration policies,� said Sima Zerehi who is an advocate for Migrant and Temporary Foreign Workers.
Some critics further assert that the Government is merely courting votes among Canada�s immigrant community and that the new agreement is nothing more than a distraction. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney denies any such ulterior motives.
�This makes good economic sense, and in terms of the politics, you know, there are provincial governments from right across the spectrum � NDP, Liberal, Conservative, and The Saskatchewan Party � all of whom have partnered with us on this,� Mr. Kenney said. �This is about good policy and good outcomes for the Canadian economy, it's not about politics.�
By December 2010 the wait time will be reduced for nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory technologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, architects, engineers, financial auditors and accountants. By December 2012 the reduction will apply also to doctors, dentists, licensed practical nurses, medical radiation technologists, teachers and engineering technicians.
Sources: Globe and Mail; Montreal Gazette
