A Capacity BC status report

CAPACITY BC

Internationally Trained Professionals Network

Roundtable on Access to Professions for Internationally – Trained Professionals

A Status Report to Capacity Canada Leadership Council

November 2005

Introduction

Capacity BC Roundtable of Internationally Trained Professionals has been formed to collectively represent ITP associations throughout the province.

The purpose of Capacity BC is to provide a forum for collaboration between ITP groups, develop strategies to influence government, regulators policies and have a collective voice in BC.

24 groups and associations are members of the Roundtable, Two representatives from each association participate at the Roundtable meetings. It is the only collective voice which represents over 48 different professions and has a membership of over 1700 membership.

While advocating and creating access for ITP it also builds individual and group capacity of ITP’s

Goals

• To provide a mechanism for ITP groups or associations to work collaboratively to promote access to their professions.
• To develop strategies to influence government and Regulator’s policies in the area of access to professions.
• Provide leadership in the development of policy recommendations and in promoting the Roundtable and its recommendations in the larger community.
• To link ITP’s to other provincial and national ITP associations.

Government Relations

1. Capacity BC meets with EASI initiative (Employment Access for Skilled Immigrants). With Acting Manager, International Qualifications Program, Immigration Division, Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services presented information on the:

• BC Human Resource Strategy
• Internet Portal
• Bridging programs and other related initiatives
• Multilateral Strategy for Enhanced Labour Market Integration
• Employment Access for Skilled Immigrants (EASI)

The Government of BC is working in collaboration with a number of partners to introduce a "systems approach" to support the full labour market integration of skilled immigrants in BC. This system recognizes that skilled immigrants of BC potentially require a number of services offered by an array of service providers. The goal of the EASI Initiative is to ensure that these services are available and accessible to prospective and new immigrants to BC when required.

As a result Capacity BC representative participated in the above mentioned committees. And Capacity BC is now being recognized as a collective voice of ITP’s.

2. Capacity BC also participated in a research, ‘Improving Access to licensure for Internationally Trained Professionals” This involved working with Regulatory organizations, Provincial government and Capacity BCITP Members.

3. Capacity BC members held a letter campaign before elections to all MLA’s and NDP constituents.

Building Capacity BCITP and the regions

A planning session was organized on October 28 with Management team

regional coordinators and ITP’s to;

Build on the work of BCITP Net over the last 3½ years, and particularly the expertise and experience of the BCITP Net associations in Victoria, Nanaimo and Vernon;

• Consider ideas for cross-regional pilots;
• Focus on skilled immigrants and how they are related to BC’s economic development;
• Develop ideas that have the potential to involve all regions in the province; and,
• Identify how this initiative would connect with Capacity BC through a Sub-Committee.

The group identified the following three ideas for cross-regional pilots:

1. Website Enhancement and Expansion
2. Capacity Development of ITPs
3. Connecting ITPs to Specific Occupations or Sectors

Media Training was provided to Capacity BC Roundtable members.

Capacity BC first position paper

After many meetings and discussions Capacity BC will be officially launching its first position paper. The press conference will be organised in December/January the paper still in its final drafts will have 2 titles.

1. When do we start valuing International Experience and Education? The economic Consequences of the Non recognition of the Credentials of Internationally Trained Professional.
2. Tackling BC’s human resource Deficit.

Conclusion

Initial few months have been spent on building relationship with individual ITP’s and their Associations. Within Government inroads have been made to improve awareness of Capacity BC. Strategies are being planned to influence government, regulatory bodies and media.