Proposed Fair Registration Practices Act to Ensure Transparent, Timely and Fair Qualification Recognition

  • Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

October 19, 2022

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is today introducing the proposed Fair Registration Practices Act to help reduce or eliminate barriers related to qualification recognition for international and Canadian-educated professionals. The Act is intended to ensure that registration practices for regulated professions are transparent, timely and fair.

The Fair Registration Practices Act, if passed, will apply to regulatory bodies by requiring them to:

  • Provide clear and understandable information and ensure registration requirements are publicly available;
  • Respond in a timely manner;
  • Assist with internal and external navigational supports to facilitate the licensure process;
  • Provide written notice of decisions along with reasons for which the decision was made;
  • Review registration practices and submit regular reports to the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills; and
  • Collaborate with education providers and employers to identify opportunities to develop programs that may assist unsuccessful applicants to obtain successful registration.

If passed, the Act will also authorize the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills to:

  • Review registration and assessment practices of regulatory bodies who assess qualifications of applicants;
  • Make recommendations to regulatory bodies about duties under the act and regulations; and
  • Issue compliance orders in instances where a regulatory body has received a written notice and has not complied with the act.

A list of regulated occupations that would be covered under the Act can be found in the backgrounder below, along with examples of barriers faced by internationally educated newcomers to Newfoundland and Labrador that were identified by people educated outside of Newfoundland and Labrador. This feedback was received during the public consultations held on improvements to foreign qualification recognition that took place in summer 2022.

Quote
“The Fair Registration Practices Act helps to ensure newcomers in regulated professions receive a transparent, timely and fair review of their credentials. We all benefit when highly-skilled newcomers are able to meet their full potential and fill positions in fields that are experiencing labour shortages.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

-30-

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Media contact
Jeremy Reynolds
Immigration, Population Growth and Skills
709-729-2377, 709-691-2298
jeremyreynolds@gov.nl.ca


BACKGROUNDER

Regulated Occupations Covered Under Proposed Fair Registration Practices Act

The list of regulated occupations that would be covered under the proposed Act include:

  • Licensed Practical Nurses
  • Physicians
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Registered Nurses
  • Social Workers
  • Medical Laboratory Technologists
  • Respiratory Therapists
  • Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
  • Clinical Psychologists
  • Advanced Care Paramedics and Primary Care Paramedics
  • K-12 Teachers
  • Early Childhood Educators
  • Engineers
  • Heavy Duty Equipment Technicians
  • Transport Truck Drivers

Examples of Barriers Faced by Internationally Educated Newcomers in Newfoundland and Labrador

The following barriers were identified by people educated outside of Newfoundland and Labrador during the public consultations held on improvements to foreign qualification recognition that took place in summer 2022.

Medical Professionals (Physicians and Nurses):

  • Some internationally educated medical professionals have had to return to their country of origin to complete their employment hours in order to be eligible for a license.

K-12 Teachers:

  • Internationally educated teachers require a work permit in order to teach. In most cases, to obtain a work permit, a license is required. However, a license is needed to get a job offer and hence a work permit.

International Graduate Engineering Students:

  • Some international graduate engineering students at Memorial University are not eligible to obtain the professional engineer designation, as they lack a Canadian undergraduate degree or Canadian work experience despite having undergraduate engineering credentials from another country and overseas work experience in their fields.

 

 

2022 10 19 10:00 am