Canada is recognized as an international leader in the settlement and integration of newcomers. However, internationally trained newcomers to Canada often face challenges in getting their credentials recognized so that they can find good-quality jobs. The Government of Canada is helping newcomers get their credentials recognized and gain their first Canadian work experience so they can put their education and skills to work sooner in Canada.

“Helping newcomers obtain assistance to have their foreign credentials recognized will allow them to join the Canadian workforce faster, which is critical to growing our economy and strengthening the middle class. Through this Call for Concepts, we are giving more newcomers a fair chance at success in Canada.”
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

“There is nothing more disappointing than seeing talent and experience going to waste when newcomers cannot move smoothly and quickly into the workforce in Canada due to credential and accreditation issues. Our region needs highly skilled individuals to fill gaps in the labour market that are hard to fill. Any progress on accreditation and recognition of skills and experience of newcomers would help meet the needs of employers and grow our economy. An improved system that could assess and recognize the international credentials and work experience that individuals have acquired in other countries would both assist newcomers and help reassure employers.”
– Cathy Woodbeck, Executive Director, Thunder Bay Multicultural Association

• The FCR Loans project delivers up to $15,000 to eligible recipients to cover costs of getting their credentials recognized and provides direct employment supports.

• The Innovation and Skilled Newcomer Employment Call for Concepts addresses the third component of the Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers—assistance to acquire first Canadian work experience in their profession or in a field related to their profession.

• Recent immigrants have a lower employment rate (62.2%) than non-immigrants (71.7%) according to the 2016 Census.

• Visible minority newcomer women are more likely to be unemployed. The unemployment rate of visible minority newcomer women (9.7%) is higher than that of visible minority (8.5%) and non-visible minority (6.4%) newcomer men, based on the 2016 Census.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Targeted Employment Strategy for Newcomers

Associated links

• Call for Concepts – Innovation and Skilled Newcomer Employment
• Credential assessment in Canada
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

For media enquiries, please contact:
Véronique Simard
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
veronique.simard@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
819-654-5611

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter