Ontario and Alberta Unite to Enhance Skilled Trades Opportunities for International Workers

The governments of Ontario and Alberta are partnering to create more opportunities for internationally trained skilled workers. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), both provinces aim to enhance international credential recognition and post-journeyperson certification, aiming to address the pressing need for skilled tradespeople. The MOU, set for review in 18 months, highlights a collaborative framework to streamline credential recognition processes, ensuring a robust and dynamic workforce.

Key Initiatives and Strategies

The initiative encompasses several key strategies to meet the objectives set by Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education and Ontario’s labour development goals:

• International Credential Recognition: The process verifies that the education, skills, and experience obtained in another country meet the licensure standards for safe and competent practice in Canada. Alberta already recognizes specific journeypersons’ credentials from countries like the Republic of Ireland, including carpenters, heavy equipment technicians, and plumbers.
• Auto-Credentialing and Skill Upgradation: Increasing and accelerating auto-credentialing for workers from national and international jurisdictions with similar standards is a priority. This includes expanding post-journeyperson credentials and certification to meet the evolving needs of the modern economy, ensuring journeypersons have the necessary skills.
• Educational Advocacy and Skill Development: Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education is mandated to champion skilled trades and professions, promoting these career paths from as early as junior high to ensure they are viewed as desirable and rewarding career choices. The ministry also aims to advance recommendations from the Skills for Jobs Task Force Report.

Enhanced Worker Mobility and Strategic Recruitment

Both Ontario and Alberta recognize the significant need for skilled tradespeople to meet the growing demands of their respective economies. This partnership aims to remove interprovincial barriers and red tape, facilitating the flow of labor between the two provinces. Ontario’s focus is on opening pathways into the trades for more apprentices and removing barriers for internationally trained workers, while Alberta seeks to expand its list of recognized international credentials to address labor shortages.

David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, highlighting the need for hundreds of thousands of additional skilled trades workers over the next decade to build essential infrastructure. By sharing knowledge and expertise, both provinces aim to remove barriers to employment and support community development.

Commitment to a Common Framework

Under the MOU, the provinces will work together to share expertise and information, exploring an international credential recognition framework for skilled trades. This common framework is expected to enhance the process and support labor mobility between the jurisdictions, allowing more internationally skilled workers with verified credentials to write the certifying exam.

Rajan Sawhney, Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education, remarked that the agreement marks a significant step forward in addressing Alberta’s skilled labor shortage. By expanding international credential recognition and collaborating with Ontario, Alberta can welcome more talented individuals, ensuring a competitive and dynamic economy.

Supporting Post-Journeyperson Credentials

Private sector industry and labor stakeholders have identified a need for post-journeyperson upgrading courses and credentials to meet the evolving needs of the Canadian economy. The partnership between Alberta and Ontario will help expand these offerings, supporting graduates of apprenticeship programs in upskilling and achieving pathways to further their career prospects.

In Ontario, Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) is responsible for assessing whether the experience and qualifications of applicants are equivalent to those received through an Ontario apprenticeship program. The STO’s Trade Equivalency Assessment is the first step towards obtaining a Certificate of Qualification for experienced workers who have equivalent skills and experience.

Advancing Legislative Support

Ontario’s government is progressing from its previous Working for Workers acts by introducing new, first-in-Canada supports and stronger protections. These initiatives aim to open pathways into the skilled trades and remove barriers to employment by making the foreign credential system outcomes-oriented. This includes requiring regulated professions to accept alternatives where standard registration-related documents cannot be obtained for reasons beyond an applicant’s control, such as war or natural disasters. If passed, Ontario would be the first province in Canada to have this legislation.

Navigating the complexities of international credential recognition and skilled trades certification can be daunting. This partnership between Ontario and Alberta is a significant step toward creating a more inclusive and robust workforce. However, individuals and employers alike may face challenges in understanding and complying with these evolving standards. Our firm specializes in preparing, advising, and representing immigration applications, ensuring you meet all necessary requirements and successfully navigate the credential recognition process. Contact us today to ensure a smooth transition and take full advantage of the opportunities in Canada’s skilled trades sector.