Canada's Opportunities for International Skilled Workers | Canada Immigration Updates

Ontario and Alberta have formed a strategic partnership aimed at improving international credential recognition and post-journeyperson certification, providing a significant boost for internationally trained skilled workers in Canada.

This collaboration will prioritize Canadian workers by reducing interprovincial barriers and red tape related to credential recognition, thus facilitating the movement of labor between Ontario and Alberta.

Ontario aims to open pathways for more apprentices and remove obstacles for internationally trained workers to address local labor demands. Concurrently, Alberta seeks to expand its list of recognized international credentials to fill high-demand positions in the skilled labor market.

Ontario needs hundreds of thousands of additional skilled trades workers over the next decade to build homes, hospitals, and highways. By working together, the provinces are sharing knowledge and expertise on international credential recognition, removing barriers for skilled workers to fill in-demand jobs, and building stronger communities.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two provinces will facilitate the sharing of expertise and information, aiming to establish a common international credential recognition framework for skilled trades. This framework will enhance the credential verification process and support labor mobility between Ontario and Alberta, enabling more internationally skilled workers to qualify for certifying exams.

This agreement marks a significant step forward in addressing the skilled labor shortage in Alberta. By expanding international credential recognition and collaborating with Ontario, Alberta can welcome more talented individuals and ensure the economy remains competitive and dynamic.

Private sector industry and labor stakeholders have emphasized the need for post-journeyperson upgrading courses and certifications to meet the evolving demands of the Canadian economy. The partnership between Alberta and Ontario will help expand offerings of post-journeyperson certifications, supporting graduates of apprenticeship programs in upskilling and advancing their careers.

In Ontario, Skilled Trades Ontario (STO), a government agency, assesses whether the experience and qualifications of applicants for an Ontario certificate of qualification are equivalent to those obtained through completing an Ontario apprenticeship program.

The Trade Equivalency Assessment by Skilled Trades Ontario is the first step towards obtaining a Certificate of Qualification for experienced workers with equivalent skills and experience who have not completed an Ontario apprenticeship.

Building on its previous four Working for Workers acts, the Ontario government is introducing new, first-in-Canada supports and stronger protections to open pathways into skilled trades and remove employment barriers.

This includes making the foreign credential system outcomes-oriented by requiring regulated professions to accept alternatives where standard registration documents cannot be obtained for reasons beyond an applicant’s control, such as war or natural disasters. If passed, Ontario would be the first province in Canada to implement such legislation.