Many Canadian universities have started offering Bridge programs to fill the gap between the foreign degrees and their accreditation, acceptance by Canadian corporates. Canadian corporates feel these graduate degrees do not meet the professional practice standards of Canadian corporates.
Immigrants often struggle to find a job that is relevant to their education and experience for the want of Canadian experience, and are forced to work in jobs such as Taxi driving for survival
Immigrant’s Employment Facts-and-Figures
A recent survey has revealed some alarming facts about the plight of educated immigrants in Canada. The summary of the survey is that many immigrants with higher educational degrees such as masters’ degrees and post-doctoral degree are working for pathetically low paying jobs such as Taxi drivers.
The survey offers statistics, arrived at after studying more than 50,000 immigrants and it reveals that 200 immigrants in Toronto area who are working as taxi drivers used to be doctors in their home country, India, whereas only 55 doctors who were born in Toronto earn their living as taxi drivers. The study further says that about 14% of immigrant graduates work as drivers as against only 4% of Canadian graduates, and about 5.4% immigrants working as drivers hold a master’s degree whereas only 1% of Canadian born drivers hold master’s degree.
These numbers come as a shock to the educated immigrants and stress the importance of a program that helps them develop their professional skills and talents on par with the Canadian standards.
Bridge Programs Prepare Immigrants for Canadian Businesses
In the wake of shocking revelations, the strong Canadian education system has devised many programs to help the educated immigrants with the required skills and knowledge required by the Canadian labor market. These programs known as Bridge programs run by many universities, colleges, community organizations; corporates get support from provincial governments, as well as the Government of Canada. As Canada needs skilled immigrants’ governments offer incentives to help upgrade immigrants’ skills, obtain licenses and certifications approved and accredited by the Canadian businesses.
Bridge Programs Offer Paths into Canadian Labor Market
Designed by Employers, universities, colleges Bridge programs helps international graduates who immigrate to Canada with training and experience to meet the expectations of the Canadian labor market.
The components of bridge programs include:
Assessment of your education and skills
Up- training and skill up gradation
Language training and certification
Practical work experience
Certification and licensing
Every bridge training is unique and is designed for specific trade or skill. However, the main features of a bridge program more or less remain the same to upgrade the skills and prepare international graduates ready for Canadian industry. Some programs also offer mentoring opportunities to help you become a certified professional.
Financial Aid for Bridge Programs:
There will be a fee to enroll in these Bridge programs. However, some financial aid is possible from provincial government and Canadian government as well. The Ontario’s ministry of training offers, Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program, which offers bursaries up to $ 5000 to cover tuition, books, equipment etc.
You can find more information on the bridge programs and financial assistance available with a bit of research on the internet.