News Release - Foreign credentials referral services now offered in over 75 centres across Ontario

Brampton, October 26, 2007 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced that more than 75 Service Canada centres across Ontario are now providing in-person foreign credential information and referral services through the new Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO). The FCRO is designed to help internationally trained individuals who want to work in Canada get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly.

The Minister made the announcement while visiting the Service Canada Centre in Brampton. By the end of 2007, FCRO services will be available at 320 Service Canada centres across Canada.

“Too many newcomers to Canada are frustrated because they can’t get jobs they have been trained for. That’s why today’s announcement is so important,” said Minister Finley. “Helping immigrants get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly will go a long way towards getting them working in their chosen field, help their chances for success and help us build a stronger Canada.”

Foreign credential referral services benefit internationally-trained individuals who wish to work in Canada and those Canadian employers wanting to hire them. The services are part of the broader federal FCRO initiative announced in May 2007 that provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally-trained individuals use their skills in Canada.

In addition to the in-person services, the FCRO’s approach also includes:

• a dedicated toll-free phone service in Canada provided by Service Canada
  (1-888-854-1805 or TTY 1-800-926-9105);
• an interactive website that is helping internationally-trained individuals identify occupations in Canada for which they may be qualified, providing them with detailed labour market information, and referring them to the appropriate regulatory body;
• providing foreign credential and labour market information to prospective immigrants outside of Canada early in the immigration process; orientation sessions are being delivered in India, China and the Philippines.
• increased employer awareness of the processes for, and benefits of, hiring internationally-trained and educated professionals.

Since the FCRO was launched on May 24, 2007, the website has had over 100,000 visits, more than 65% of which were from outside the country. The dedicated phone line has received over 700 calls, of which 60% were for information and 40% for referrals to assessment or regulatory bodies.

The Foreign Credentials Referral Office is also working closely with HRSDC’s Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Program, as well as with provinces, territories, regulatory bodies, post-secondary institutions, sector councils and employers to improve the integration of internationally-trained individuals into the work force. The FCR Program is working with its partners to ensure that FCR processes across the country are fair, consistent, transparent and rigorous.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Tim Vail
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650

Backgrounder

• Foreign credentials referral services at Service Canada centres