Solicited call for funding under the Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) Skilled Newcomer Training Incentive Bond Pilot

Application period

You could apply between January 6, 2022 and February 3, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Description

The Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) helps address specific barriers faced by skilled newcomers to improve their labour market integration, for example:

• length and cost of credential recognition
• lack of Canadian work experience

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will provide funding to projects that will support employers to hire, train and provide work experience to skilled newcomers.

Only eligible organizations that had been invited could apply for a project up to a maximum of $2,000,000 ($1,000,000 for the incentive bond, and $1,000,000 for wraparound services) and a maximum duration of 3 years. It is expected that projects will begin in Spring 2022.

The project would target 100 unemployed or underemployed skilled newcomers in gaining employment and work experience in their field of study.

Objective

The FCRP will test a new approach, the Skilled Newcomer Training Incentive Bond Pilot (FCRP Bond Pilot). It is offered to eligible employers as an incentive to hire, train and provide work experience to skilled newcomers, and will benefit them in gaining employment and work experience in their field of study. It is an experimental initiative that will try to answer the following research questions:

• if an insurance model incentivizes employers to hire skilled newcomers
• if the model is less costly than other employment incentives such as wage subsidies

The purpose of the bond pilot is to minimize employer losses in the initial hiring period (during the first 6 months of employment). The bond pilot will support skilled newcomers in gaining employment and work experience in their field of study including:

• regulated professions
• alternative careers
• apprenticeship trades

The objective of this process is to fund 2 projects that will target 200 unemployed or underemployed skilled newcomers (target of 100 for each organization).

Organizations solicited for this funding

ESDC determined that a solicited call for proposals was the most effective process to test this program. The Department identified the organizations that were invited to apply.

You can find information on funded grants and contribution projects which are a part of the information available in proactive disclosure here.

Eligibility

This was a solicited call for proposals. It was open only to organizations invited by ESDC.

Eligible applicants

The process was open to not‑for‑profit organizations that demonstrated the following:

• had an established employer network that included working relationships with employment groups (such as employers, associations, regulatory bodies etc.) across multiple industries and sectors. The networks could be used for supporting the following:
  • accessing information on employment openings not yet advertised
  • supporting inside connections with specific companies and sectors required for employment
  • obtaining general information that provides insights into an industry or profession; and
  • facilitating the sharing of advice and knowledge on job search methods and strategies specific to industries and sectors
• supported the integration of skilled newcomers in the labour market
• possessed recent and relevant experience providing similar activities (within the past 5 years) which had to include:
  • past participation in a Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP)
  • employment supports that were part of the regular day to day operations
  • extensive history of supporting skilled newcomers; and
    • Note: Equivalent to 2-year duration of project experience
  • experience in supporting employers in their efforts to recruit and engage skilled newcomers
• were immigrant-serving organizations; and
• had existing wraparound services (may include but are not limited to: resume preparation, employment search and recruitment by employers)

ESDC will not automatically fund the identified organizations. ESDC will only consider funding for those that submited a proposal.

Contact us

If you have questions, please email us at NC-DGOP-POB-RTCE-FCR-GD@servicecanada.gc.ca.