Manitoba assistance to internationally educated applicants

A new process has been established to ensure fair and accurate evaluation of foreign academic qualifications. The new proposed legislative reforms are part of the Manitoba government’s effort to help speed up the process of approving the credentials of internationally educated applicants.

Manitoba Education and Economic Development Minister Ralph Eichler announced the new process on Nov. 2.

Part of what Mr. Eichler said in a news release is as follows: “Our goal is to remove barriers so that qualified applicants with international education can start their jobs and professions in Manitoba as soon as possible and when applying for a work permit, with They should be treated fairly. Many newcomers to Manitoba are highly educated and have the skills and experience this province needs, and we want to help keep their skills and expertise up to date so that they can be employed as quickly as possible after arriving in Manitoba. return to their jobs and professions and contribute to the growth of our economy.”

These changes relate to the Fair Registration Directive in the Organized Trades Act, which was passed in 2009. This legislation was to help ensure a systematic job application and registration process for internationally educated applicants joining the Manitoba workforce. This law was approved in order to be transparent, objective, fair and perfect in the application and registration process. Some of the 30 self-governing professions in Manitoba include the Colleges of Registered Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Pharmacists, Physicians and Surgeons, the Manitoba Dental Association, the Manitoba Chartered Professional Accountants, the Manitoba College of Social Workers and the Manitoba Veterinary Association.

Proposed amendments to reduce existing barriers

The proposed reforms aim to help reduce existing barriers in Manitoba to the successful and timely registration of internationally educated applicants for formal occupations and improve the qualification approval process, and the 2019 election commitment to require formal occupations to register in accordance with the agreements. It also realized domestic business.

These amendments set time standards for organized businesses that make the registration process shorter and also put a duty on the legislators to ensure the necessity of the conditions and evaluation of the registration to carry out the business.

In addition, professions should take appropriate measures to work with post-secondary educational institutions and employers to ensure that internationally educated applicants have pathways to help fill existing gaps and meet registration requirements. Mr. Eichler also has sufficient powers to enforce the law, which puts Manitoba on par with the existing fairness laws in the provinces of Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.

These reforms resolve non-compliance with domestic trade agreements by requiring organized businesses to adhere to the New Western Partnership and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.

Suggested changes

The proposed changes also facilitate the implementation of this law. Manitoba appoints an administrator responsible for this Act and a reporting authority. Other employees are working in a more supportive capacity and are responsible for enforcing the law.

Finally, these new amendments oblige the legislative organizations to inform the administrator of the changes in the fair registration guidelines in the evaluation and registration, so that they can provide appropriate feedback in the context of the possible negative effects of these changes on the applicants.

Mr. Eichler added in the announced news: “Organized businesses are responsible for protecting the public interest by ensuring high standards of professional guidelines, and since the updated law requires organized businesses to take measures to improve the evaluation and registration process, Our government works with Manitoba’s 30 organized businesses.”

He noted that only 16 per cent of internationally educated applicants were registered in Manitoba between 2015 and 2017, although that number represented 40 per cent of all applicants during that time. Mr. Eichler also stated that the purpose of this law and the effort to optimize the process of approval of educational qualifications in Manitoba is to improve the path for newcomers who are trying to establish their jobs in Manitoba and on the other hand, to help the skilled immigrant workforce through Manitoba’s provincial selection program to find jobs in your profession to fill a gap in the labor market.