Canada opening new office in India for recognition of degrees

Since, majority of immigrants in Canada are from India, China and the Philippines, the Canadian government will be expanding its services in these countries and will open another office in London.

The latest move is a part of the Canadian Immigration Integration Project (CIIP) which was started as a pilot program in the year 2007. 
Run by the ACCC (Association of Canadian Community Colleges), the CIIP will receive $15 million funding from the Federal Government over the next three years to help credential recognition of skilled immigrants in the country of their origin.

The Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said the government wants to help new immigrants to put their skills to work in Canada as soon as possible. And the funding is a step forward to expedite the recognition of their credentials even before they arrive in Canada.

The CIIP provides a range of services to the potential immigrants including seminars on—
• How to apply for a job in Canada;
• steps for recognition of their university credentials; and
• details about the labor market in Canada.

Since, recognition of foreign credentials is, undoubtedly, the biggest hurdle in the path of new immigrants in Canada, this latest step in the Canadian immigration will be beneficial for the new Canada immigrants, the Canadian minister maintained. He added that the move will be good for the Canadian economy as well.

The Economic Action Plan of the Canadian government has set aside $50 million funding for 2009 and 2010 to bring desired improvements in the foreign credential recognition process for Canadian immigrants.

The services by the CIIP have already helped more than 7,000 immigrants in Canada to adapt themselves with Canada’s workforce at the earliest.

The new office in London, UK, will serve prospective Canadian immigrants from the UK (United Kingdom), Arab nations and Nordic.