The province of Ontario proposes changes to help immigrants work in their fields

A bill has been proposed in Ontario to help immigrants who have been trained abroad find work. The new law would remove the single biggest barrier Canadian immigrants face in finding work that matches their qualifications. If the legislation is passed, this will be the first time such changes have been made in Canada.

That is, the need for Canadian work experience to get professional registration and licensing. The change applies to certain non-health-regulated professions such as engineers, architects, plumbers, electricians, accountants, hairstylists, teachers, and early childhood educators.

 if passed, the media release, says the law will;

• Eliminate Canadian work experience requirements for professional registration and licensing unless an exemption is granted based on a demonstrated public health and safety risk. These requirements may create situations where workers are unable to obtain Canadian work experience because they don’t have it. This is often cited as the number one barrier Canadian immigrants face in obtaining a job that matches their level of qualification.
• Reduce burdensome duplication for official language proficiency testing, so people would not have to complete multiple tests for purposes of immigration and professional licencing.
• Allow applicants to register faster in their regulated professions when there are emergencies (such as a pandemic) that create an urgent need for certain professions or trades.
• Ensure the licensing process is completed in a timely manner to help internationally-trained immigrants start working in careers that match their skillset.

Source: NewsOntario.ca