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Panel on Employment Challenges of New Canadians

The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) is honoured to have participated on the Panel on Employment Challenges of New Canadians, which authored a report outlining new and better ways to integrate immigrants into the Canadian Workforce.

Christine Nielsen, CSMLS’s Chief Executive Officer, was a member of the panel which discussed a number of issues including; the importance of immigration, the need for collaboration among the many Canadian stakeholders, efforts to recruit and integrate newcomers to Canada, reforms to immigration for skilled tradespeople, licensing and settlement issues.

The report was released by the The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development, during his speech at The Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Immigration Summit 2015, which kicked off in Ottawa today.

“The CSMLS has worked with internationally educated laboratory professionals for decades and we understand the challenges of successfully integrating into the Canadian workforce,” says Christine Nielsen. “I am pleased to see the Government of Canada addressing these challenges and helping new Canadians use their skills and find meaningful employment.”

The medical laboratory science profession was cited in the report as one of a limited number of health professions with a single pan-Canadian access point for the professional certification. This single point increases the accessibility to the credential assessment for international graduates and gives them a considerable advantage in initiating the credential recognition process prior to arrival.

The report also highlighted the need for immigrants to prepare for the qualification recognition process prior to their arrival in Canada and calls for a shared responsibility among all stakeholders for helping immigrants find jobs that match their skills.