What is this Research Network? The purpose of this section of our Web site is to promote the sharing of information on a Canada-wide basis and internationally, related to both completed and ongoing research addressing labour market issues for foreign-trained individuals. Background Each year Canada welcomes more than 200,000 immigrants.  More than 40% of these new Canadians are highly educated and trained professionals and tradespeople.  Of these, over 20% are arriving within the regulated professions and trades categories each year.  Trends show that this number is increasing steadily.  In 1997, over 24% of the highly educated and trained immigrants were arriving in regulated occupations (CIC, IMDB).  In Ontario this number is slightly higher.  In 1997, 28% of the highly educated and trained immigrants arrived in the regulated occupations, an increase from 21% in 1994. Many professionals and tradespeople who received their education and training outside Canada are often unable to get certified or get a license to practise their occupations in Ontario.  The ACCESS! report (1989) identified 5 barriers responsible for this problem.  The barriers were identified as lack of:  1.  information about what it takes to become licensed to practise one’s occupation in Ontario;  2.  reliable tools for assessing and recognizing academic qualifications and prior learning and work experiences;  3.  appropriate licensing and language tests;  4.  supplementary and bridging education, and  5.  accessible review and appeal procedures.  Why a Network? Many problems are experienced by researchers working within the area of access to professions and trades.  These issues exist because of the nature of the research and the lack of access to information.  The following issues have been identified:  There is a lack of co-ordination of research in this area.  While some studies on APT issues are published, many are not, making it difficult for researchers to keep informed about the research that exists.  This lack of co-ordination can lead to duplication of research efforts and the inability to build on what currently exists.  There is a lack of empirical data in this area.  While much anecdotal evidence exists about the problems facing foreign-trained individuals as they attempt to gain access to the occupations in which they have been trained, more objective data is needed in order to inform policy and program development.  The research is fragmented.  Research is being conducted which focuses on specific ethnocultural groups, specific barriers or specific occupations and this information stays within the communities that conducted it.  In sum, there is no one place where researchers can look to find all this valuable information. We hope that this research network serves to resolve some of the above issues by prompting an exchange of research papers and by providing researchers with the names of others who are conducting studies in the area.  Most importantly, we want to promote a co-ordination of research efforts by reducing duplication in research and by prompting researchers to build on other studies.  Also, we hope to bridge the gap between community research and social policy on access to professions and trades issues. The success of this Network depends on your willingness to provide as well as receive information.  If you would like to be included in the above list of researchers, please e-mail t.richmond@utoronto.ca with your name, research interest and contact information.  We would be happy to include student essays and other unpublished work, provided they are of high quality and related to the area of labour market issues for foreign-trained individuals.  Canadian and International contributions, completed or in progress, are welcome.

Last update on 1998/11/25

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