Canada is helping internationally educated health care professionals (IEHPs) work in Yukon by investing to speed up their accreditation.

Rechie Veldez, Minister of Small Business, has announced up to $3.65 million in funding to the Government of Yukon through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, to improve the integration of IEHPs into the Yukon labor market.

“This four-year, transformative project will have a lasting impact by taking steps to create a Yukon territorial licensure regulatory process, which currently does not exist in the territory,” read the news release.

“It will also create a Yukon Foreign Credential Recognition Centre to support both employers and skilled newcomers in navigating career pathways and regulatory processes in Yukon to get more workers into the health care sector.”

150 newcomers will be provided career navigation support and a targeted nurse bridging program for participating international jurisdictions.

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The project targets key healthcare occupations with an emphasis on licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, and midwives.

The announcement aims to further Ottawa’s commitment made to provinces and territories during the October 2023 Health Ministers’ Meeting, to take concrete actions to address challenges faced by Canada’s health, including reducing the time for IEHPs to join the health workforce.

“Choosing Canada to build a new life for one’s family should not come at the cost of being barred from practicing in one’s field of expertise. The Foreign Credential Recognition Program is helping new Canadians thrive in our workforce, and fill labour gaps across the country,” as per the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault.

Funding will go to key occupations such as nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, lab technicians and respiratory therapy.

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Boissonnault announced similar funding to various organizations across Canada on January 15, 2024. These were aimed at responding to regional labor market gaps in health care.

As per the news release, projects under the Foreign Credential Recognition Program will:

• Reduce the barriers IEHPs face to foreign credential recognition by improving recognition processes, simplifying steps in credential recognition and offering increased access to practice in the field.
• Provide IEHPs with relevant Canadian work experience in their fields, while incorporating supports such as child care, transportation costs, mentoring, and coaching.
• Facilitate interjurisdictional labour mobility for health professionals and IEHPs to reduce barriers for health workers who wish to work in another jurisdiction in Canada.

The Foreign Credential Recognition Program works with provinces, territories, regulatory bodies, and other organizations by funding projects to support faster and more efficient credential recognition systems with the aim of growing the Canadian economy, creating quality employment, and promoting a more sustainable health workforce.

“Health care workers deliver the care that Canadians need. By bringing in new workers and retaining those who are already there, we can help relieve the labour challenges in our health care system,” said Mark Holland, Minister of Health.

“This federal funding supports our government’s work with provinces, territories and stakeholders to have more healthcare workers enter Canada’s workforce and to streamline that process. Together, this will improve our health care system so Canadians can get the care they need and deserve.”