Shed ‘gatekeeper’ attitude- Kenney asks Professional groups in Canada

Canada, 20th March: Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has asked various Professional groups in Canada to shun ‘gatekeeper’ attitude towards foreign workers in Canada.

By not giving recognition to credentials of immigrants in Canada, the various professional groups are trying to slow the economic recovery of Canada; Kenney alleged adding that successful integration of newcomers in Canada is vital for economic recovery of the nation.

He was speaking at a pre-conference session on Foreign Credential Recognition in Canada and Abroad, which was organized as part of the 2010 National Metropolis Conference in Montreal on 18th March, 2010.

The attitude of professional associations have received severe criticism earlier too for not giving approval to training received by foreign workers abroad. This has complicated things for new Canadians to find jobs in their chosen fields.

In a bid to fast-track recognition of foreign credentials in Canada by various professional agencies in Canada, a special program was launched in 2009 by Canadian immigration department. However, just eight professional groups are on board of this special program. Canada has hundreds of professional groups engaged in recognition of foreign credentials of new arrivals in Canada.

It is being hoped that almost all the professional agencies in Canada will come forward to streamline the process of recognition of credentials of foreign workers at the earliest.

Kenney stated that a large number of jobs in Canada remain unfilled due lackluster attitude of professional groups towards newcomers in Canada since Canadian immigration policy favors all foreign workers having requisite skills to fill the vacant jobs in Canada and help expedite the economic recovery of Canada. 

During the conference, he invited all professional associations to join the streamlining process named ‘the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications’ by the year 2013. 

Meanwhile, various critics of this program alleged that more incentives should be provided to the professional associations in Canada to help them join the new program.