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Links for Regulators to Resources on Access
  

Studies and reports
  • Access Issues for Regulators-Rising Standards
    Access Issues for Regulators-Rising Standards reports on the second access workshop organized in 2001 by the Maytree Foundation. It summarizes the application of legal principles to access issues as they affect regulators, including the Constitution, the Charter and the Ontario Human Rights Code (see www.maytree.com/refugeeimmigrantprogram/
    publicdiscourse/accessissues/risingstandards.htm    )
  • Access! Task Force on Access to Professions and Trades in Ontario (1989)
    This comprehensive analysis of the systemic barriers to foreign credential recognition is not available on the internet. Click here for information about the Access! Task Force report.
  • Action and Accountability Plan
    Spigelman, Martin, Action and Accountability Plan: Planning for the Labour Market Integration of Immigrants in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley Regions of B.C. Prepared for the Looking Ahead Steering Committee, Dec. 1999 (see www.lookingahead.bc.ca/files/action.pdf).
  • AIPSO Brief
    AIPSO et al. Brief to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration Regarding Bill C-11. (2001). Includes section on Economic Impacts of not Licensing International Professionals (see www.aipso.ca/C-11%20April%202001.htm).
  • Cornish Report on Challenging Discriminatory Barriers
    In Strategies For Challenging Discriminatory Barriers To Foreign Credential Recognition (1999), Mary Cornish et al concluded that admissions criteria that distinguish the internationally trained candidate from the domestically trained applicant may be discriminatory under s.15 of the Charter. The paper reviews legislation that will affect regulators who design access strategies as well as the Agreement on Internal Trade-Labour Mobility Chapter, Human Rights Code obligations, and the application of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to regulators. It also reviews relevant court decisions in the area of discrimination related to access practices. The paper notes that Supreme Court of Canada decisions over the last 10 to 15 years reinforce the need for regulatory bodies to develop systemic responses to structures that exclude internationally trained people from full participation in a profession. The systemic responses should include:
    • A clear focus on standards that are inclusive
    • Transformation of existing standards to better reflect the diversity in society and the true requirements of the position
    • A review by regulatory bodies to ensure that entry standards are discrimination-free

    The Cornish paper also gives regulators a framework for reviewing their regulatory requirements to ensure their access standards and practices comply with the relevant law. The framework is modelled on employment equity plans. Among other things, it would require regulatory bodies to carry out an applicant survey to determine the extent of the foreign-trained population, and to identify the professional groups where the percentage of foreign-trained accredited professionals falls below their availability in the population (see http://www.cavalluzzo.com/publications/newsletters/access_website.PDF)
  • Doctor Shortages and the Integration of International Physicians Conference
    AIPSO, the Association of Internationally Trained Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and the Maytree Foundation held a conference called Doctor Shortages and the Integration of International Physicians: Opportunities and Solutions available on the Maytree web site (see www.maytree.com/HTMLFiles/DoctorShortages.htm)
  • Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats?
    Smith, E. and Jackson, A. Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats? The Labour Market Experiences and Incomes of Recent Immigrants 1995-1998. The paper makes the point that successful inclusion of recent immigrants into the Canadian market will not be achieved simply by leaving matters to market forces. Rather, a wide range of policies is needed to speed up integration, including expedited recognition of foreign credentials (see www.ccsd.ca/pubs/2002/risingtide/risingtide.pdf)
  • The Facts are In! MTCU study
    The Facts Are In!     The study indicates that over 100,000 immigrants come to Ontario each year. About 72% of these are highly educated and trained; one quarter are seeking employment in regulated professions and trades.
    Chapter 4 contains the study's conclusions which include these important factors:
    • 47.8% of immigrants with a professional degree were unemployed
    • Of those professionals who had their qualifications assessed, 73.2% were found to have a degree equivalent to an Ontario degree in that profession
    • Between 2001 and 2002, WES completed credential assessments in Ontario for people from 110 countries-only 27% of regulatory bodies agreed to use WES (the body approved by the Ont. Government for assessments)

    Chapter 3.6, Experiences With the Licensing Process by foreign-trained professionals and Chapter 3.7, Employment Status Information for foreign-trained professionals indicate that most professionals obtained information about licensing requirements from peers and other people instead of from regulatory bodies. Also, many immigrants with a professional degree were unemployed or employed part-time (see www.equalopportunity.on.ca/eng_g/apt/facts02.pdf).

  • Fulfilling the Promise
    Fulfilling the Promise by Naomi Alboim and the Maytree Foundation (2002) presents a systems approach to facilitating the entry of highly skilled immigrants to the labour force. The proposed approach includes:
    • information, assessment and expert advice
    • integrated bridging programs to fill identified gaps
    • regulatory reviews\incentives for stakeholder participation and collaboration
    • leadership and accountability through leadership council

The report also outlines socio-economic conditions that necessitate a concerted effort to increase labour market access for highly skilled immigrants.

Fulfilling The Promise summarizes jurisdictional roles for all the players, including regulatory bodies, in assessing internationally trained Candidates (see p. 17). It notes that the federal government has the lead responsibility for immigration and funds immigrant settlement programs, while regulators establish standards of entry, decide how to address an applicant's competencies, and determine whether an individual is qualified for entry licensing and into the profession (see www.maytree.com/PDF_Files/FulfillingPromise.pdf)

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