Education Credentials: Immigrants

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney Dept: Once potential immigrants have their language skills assessed, their education credentials will be assessed by an organization designated by Kenney. That list of organizations hasn't been announced yet, according to CBC. Kenney said the problem of foreign-trained doctors who run corner stores or engineers who drive cabs is partly due to professional licensing bodies that act as gatekeepers. But, he said, Canada has also admitted some foreign-trained professionals who don't meet Canadian standards and new requirements for immigrants coming to Canada under the federal skilled worker program will emphasize the ability to speak English or French and give greater weight to young applicants, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced Wednesday. A news release from Citizenship and Immigration Canada says the assessment of foreign educational credentials "will provide prospective newcomers with a more realistic understanding of how their credentials compare to education standards in Canada. It will also give them the opportunity to upgrade their education prior to coming to Canada if they choose." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.