B.C. introduces legislation to fast-track accreditation for international workers
Facing a skilled labour shortage that is expected to worsen in the coming years, the province unveiled new laws Monday aimed at getting foreign-trained professionals to work in B.C. sooner.
“We have one million-plus jobs that will be opening in the next decade in this province, and we know we will not be successful filling those jobs unless at least a third of them are filled by newcomers to British Columbia,” said Premier David Eby Monday.
The proposed legislation applies to 29 occupations, including early childhood educators and teachers.
“The need couldn’t be more urgent, I mean you’re talking about a problem that impacts every district in the province in our opinion,” said Clint Johnston, the president of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation.
The list also includes engineers, landscape architects, social workers, veterinarians, architects, biologists, real estate brokers and lawyers.
Alice Wong is a social worker from Hong Kong. After a year of struggling to get credentialed, Tuesday will be her first day in B.C. working in her trained profession.
“I was fighting in a battle all alone, without support, without resources, so it kept me very frustrated in the process,” said Wong Monday, as she recalled the challenges she went through becoming credentialed in B.C.
The legislation aims to remove some of those hurdles—eliminating the need for Canadian work experience, removing redundant language tests, making credentialing assessment information available online and setting maximum time limits for processing credentials.
“I spoke to an internationally trained professional that told me they spent 18 to 24 months on a website, clicking refresh to see if their application has been accepted,” noted Andrew Mercier, the minister of state for workforce development.
Not on the list of professions being streamlined are nurses and doctors, professions the province says it’s already addressed—including by tripling the number of spots available to foreign-trained doctors through its Practice Ready Assessment program to a potential 96 in 2024, compared to 32 this year.
“We started with health care on this to speed up approvals with the professional colleges and to get this model right,” said Eby.
Vitaliaa Atamaniuk was trained as a general surgeon in Ukraine. She is struggling to be accredited in B.C. to work as a general surgeon and thinks the model is far from right.
“It’s very difficult, it’s very expensive,” she said Monday.
If passed, the new laws will take effect next summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6974402.1721752977!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Laws that could get Canadians in trouble in tourism hotspots
There are some laws in popular tourist destinations around the world that could land Canadian travellers in mild-to-serious trouble if they're not careful. Don't let these local laws land you in hot water during your next vacation abroad.
Edmonton gas station employee found guilty of terrorism charges in the U.K.
An Edmonton man has been convicted of multiple charges under the Terrorism Act in the United Kingdom.
BREAKING Polar bear at Calgary Zoo died by drowning following 'crushing' injury
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has revealed the cause of death for polar bear Baffin last week.
U.S. Secret Service director resigns after Trump assassination attempt
The director of the Secret Service resigned Tuesday in the aftermath of the assassination attempt against former U.S. President Donald Trump that unleashed an outcry about how the agency failed in its core mission to protect current and former presidents.
Quebec mom devastated after man who killed her daughter in hit-and-run gets out after 5 months
A Montreal-area mother is furious with Quebec's justice system because the man who killed her 25-year-old daughter in a 2022 hit-and-run was released from jail after only serving one-sixth of his sentence behind bars.
Waterloo, Ont. woman out thousands for car totalled by stolen hit-and-run driver
A woman in Waterloo, Ont. is out thousands of dollars for a car crash she wasn’t involved in.
DEVELOPING Jasper evacuees forced into B.C. to flee fires told to make U-turn to Alberta for aid
Thousands of wildfire evacuees forced from Jasper National Park into British Columbia along smoke-choked mountain roads Monday night were directed Tuesday to make a wide U-turn and head home if they needed a place to stay.
Keanu Reeves explains why he's always thinking about death
Keanu Reeves is aging like the rest of us. And for that reason, 'The Matrix' has shared, mortality has been on his mind.
Do you need a lawyer when making a will in Canada?
Many people believe that creating a will requires the services of a lawyer, but this isn't always the case. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew explains a lawyer's role when crafting your last will and testament.