Canada to open foreign credential office in India

Bal Krishna
Toronto, Feb 21 (PTI) Canada plans to establish a key
office in India to facilitate recognition of foreign
credentials, a move likely to help Indian immigrants seeking
jobs in the country.
"We want newcomers to be able to use their skills as soon
as possible in Canada," Jason Kenney, the Citizenship and
Immigration Minister, said, adding that in the past immigrants
arrived at the airport only to sink or swim.
Kenney said the government proposed to open new offices
in India, China, the Philippines and Britain for recognition
of foreign credentials.
The Canadian Immigration Integration Project (CIIP),
which began in 2007 as a pilot programme, will get USD 15
million over the next three years to expand its services in
India, China and the Philippines, as well as to open a new
office in London.
The new office will serve prospective immigrants to
Scandinavian countries, Britain and the Gulf States.
However, Canadian MP Olivia Chow said the government
needs to improve the recognition of foreign credentials.
She said the government was still announcing half
measures as the current plan of recognising foreign
credentials would not happen until December 2013.

Chow said the government should expand mentorship,
bridging and internships programmes for immigrants in Canada
and expand opportunities for new immigrants in the federal
government.
The CIIP offers prospective immigrants a variety of
services, including informations about labour market in Canada
and ways to apply for jobs and how to get their university
credentials recognised.
The service has helped 7,000 people so far, Kenney
said, rattling off examples of recent immigrants who
successfully got jobs in Canada after being helped by the
CIIP. PTI CORR
JVN