BC Government Using Legislation to Remove Employment Barriers

 

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023PSFS0060-001634

The international credentials recognition act, if passed, will require 18 regulators overseeing 29 professions to streamline processes for internationally trained applicants. The 29 occupations are:

registered music teacher
professional engineer
professional teaching certificate holder
land surveyor
early childhood educator
landscape architect
early childhood educator assistant
applied science technologist
conditional teaching certificate holder
certified technician
social worker
veterinarian
registered clinical social worker
lawyer
professional biologist
architect
applied biology technician
notary public
registered biology technologist
emergency medical assistant, including paramedics
professional geoscientist
chartered professional accountant
registered professional forester
associate real estate broker
registered forest technologist
managing real estate broker
professional agrologist
real estate representative
technical agrologist

Improving credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals

This legislation complements and builds on the government’s ongoing work to create pathways for doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals educated outside of Canada to be able to get to work more quickly.

This work includes:

• Expanding pathways for internationally trained physicians to enter B.C.’s workforce, including:
  • a further expansion of seats in the Practice Ready Program, which helps internationally educated doctors get to work more quickly in B.C.; the program will triple from 32 seats to 96 seats by March 2024;
  • the introduction of a new U.S.-certified class of licensure (through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC) to enable eligible U.S.-trained physicians to practise pediatric medicine, internal medicine or emergency medicine in B.C.;
  • the introduction of associate physicians, a new class of registration that provides a route for international medical graduates (IMGs) not eligible for licensure as independent medical practitioners, to work under the direction and supervision of an attending physician within team-based care settings; and
  • Funding Health Match BC, a free health-professional recruitment service that has helped IMGs and Canadian-trained physicians relocate and practise in B.C.
• Removing roadblocks that internationally educated nurses (IENs) used to face, including:
  • developing a more efficient pathway that simultaneously assesses IENs for the HCA, LPN, and RN designations;
  • directly covering application and assessment fees with NCCAS and BCCNM and providing bursaries for English-language competency testing and education with more than $9 million in funding; and
  • creating new nurse-navigator positions to help IENs navigate the assessment and licensing process.
• Developing the Health Care Access Program (HCAP) to train, recruit and employ up to 3,000 entry-level health-care workers each year.
  • This program provides a path for eligible applicants, including internationally educated nurses who have not had their qualifications recognized, and individuals with no health-sector experience, to get hired and receive paid employer-sponsored health-care assistant training as part of their employment.
• Bursaries to help internationally educated allied health professionals join B.C.’s workforce.

Progress made to date:

• 547 new international medical graduates registered so far in 2023;
• more than 450 new internationally educated nurses registered so far in 2023;
• 2,800 internationally educated nurses currently going through the new, faster pathway; and
• 979 health-care aides hired through the Health Careers Access Program since April 1, 2023.
• Link to additional information
  

Liberals Name Calling and Victim Blaming Again - to cover for Global Gaslighting

 Liberals trying to be world saviour - "Canada will save all REFUGEES: Iranians, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, whoever ".

REALITY

OH NO we didnt hire the 1200 new IRCC workers like we promised even though we need 3500

OH NO our immigration computers are still old and slow 

OH NO there is still an immigration process backlog

OH NO many new REFUGEES will require extra immigration processing

OH NO many of these new REFUGEES cannot contribute to Canada's published immigration purposes 

OH NO many REFUGEES will require lots of $$$ to get them settled

OH NO we cannot process all the existing international students we promised entry if they pay big bucks and work hard

OH NO we have to screw the international students who have paid betweeen $100,000 and $350,000 on study and living expenses for the last 4 to 7 years to qualify for work permits and permanent residency and eventually citizenship.

OH NO we have to blame the international students who are legally using the border services to qualify for the changed regulations - Lets call it flagpoling and treat it like a dirty name

Liberals Name Calling and Victim Blaming Again - to cover for Global Gaslighting

It is too bad international students cannot vote - they will not be voting liberal

Look at just a few of the IRCC Notices and see the "Changing of the Goal Posts"

August 24, 2022—Vancouver - Tackling immigration backlogs to help Canadian businesses grow. The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today highlighted ongoing work to strengthen Canada’s immigration system and reduce application backlogs, with a focus on addressing labour shortages,

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/08/tackling-immigration-backlogs-to-help-canadian-businesses-grow.html

October 7, 2022—Ottawa—Employers are facing unprecedented challenges in finding and retaining the workers they need International students to help address Canada’s labour shortage - Limit on off-campus work hours to be lifted temporarily. This measure will provide many international students with a greater opportunity to gain valuable work experience in Canada, and will increase the availability of workers to sustain Canada’s post-pandemic growth

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/10/international-students-to-help-address-canadas-labour-shortage.html

January 22, 2024—Ottawa—Canada to cap number of new international student permits issued to approximately 360,000 for 2024

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/01/canada-to-stabilize-growth-and-decrease-number-of-new-international-student-permits-issued-to-approximately-360000-for-2024.html

February 5, 2024—Ottawa --Additional information about International Student Program reforms. International students whose applications were received by IRCC before 8:30 a.m. on January 22, 2024, as well as those who have already been approved for a study permit and intend to travel to Canada for an upcoming program, do not need to take further action as a result of the cap.

March 22, 2024—Ottawa --On January 22, 2024, IRCC confirmed that international graduates of college programs delivered through a public-private curriculum licensing arrangement would no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. This change will take effect on May 15, 2024, rather than the previously announced date of September 1, 2024.

June 21, 2024—Ottawa— foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border, effective immediately. 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/06/canada-improves-fairness-for-applicants-by-ending-post-graduation-work-permit-flagpoling.html

Notices — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Complaints of Changed Immigration Rules prompted Hunger Strikes in Canada

P.E.I. foreign workers resume hunger strike, say government offered no solutions

Canada opens new visa application centre in Portugal

Canada opens new visa application centre in Portugal

The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced today the opening of a new Canada visa application centre (VAC) in Lisbon, Portugal. With this new centre, IRCC’s VAC network will consist of 163 locations in 110 countries around the world.


VACs are managed by private companies that have contracts with the Government of Canada. Their primary role is to accept documents required in the visa application process, securely transmit them to IRCC offices and provide biometric collection services. VAC service agents are available by phone, email or in person to answer questions in local languages and to help make sure that applications are complete.

The people-to-people ties between Canada and Portugal have grown stronger over time and, today these ties are underpinned by a vibrant Canadian community of Portuguese origin. That is why IRCC remains committed to making it easier than ever for Portuguese citizens to travel to Canada. The opening of a new visa application centre in Lisbon will offer them greater flexibility and accessibility to visit, study or work in Canada, and open the door to new opportunities for social, economic and cultural exchange that will benefit both countries.

Quotes


“The opening of the first-ever Canada visa application centre in Portugal is another example of our commitment to improving visa processing efficiency and client service. Portuguese citizens already enjoy visa-exempt travel to Canada for up to six months, and the new VAC will make it even easier for them to apply to visit longer, study or work in Canada, all while contributing to our economy and deepening the ties between our countries.”

– The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

IRCC began opening VACs in the mid 2000s. The first one opened in India, followed by one in China. VACs are not involved in making decisions on files nor are they authorized to provide applicants with advice about their visas or permits.


Portuguese citizens visiting Canada for up to six months typically only need an electronic travel authorization. Those who plan to visit or study for longer than six months or to work in Canada are required to apply for a visa and a study or work permit.


With the opening of the Lisbon VAC, applicants in Portugal will no longer need to travel outside of the country, which helps reduce costs as well as distance and travel time and improve client service. Non-Portuguese citizens living in Portugal who need a visa to come to Canada can also access services at the Lisbon VAC. Applicants can make an appointment as of February 12, 2024.


Canada and Portugal enjoy strong bilateral relations and celebrated 70 years of formal diplomatic relations in 2022. According to the 2021 Census, roughly 448,000 people of Portuguese origin live in Canada.


Canada and Portugal have a bilateral youth mobility arrangement. Under the arrangement, Portuguese and Canadian youth aged 18 to 35 can work and travel in each other’s country for up to 24 months.