Bill C-425

2nd Session, 40th Parliament,

57-58 Elizabeth II, 2009

house of commons of canada

BILL C-425

An Act respecting the recognition of foreign credentials

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the Foreign Credential Recognition Act.

INTERPRETATION

2. In this Act, “professional” means a member of a professional order required by law to issue a licence or certificate to its members, thereby authorizing them to practice their profession.

PURPOSE

3. The purpose of this Act is to ensure that any person who was educated and trained outside Canada is treated with fairness and respect and to assist them to integrate into the Canadian labour market, where they can contribute their knowledge to their profession.

MODEL REGISTRATION PRACTICES

4. The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, in consultation with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the provinces, shall develop model registration practices for professions designated by regulations under an Act of a province and model national foreign credential recognition standards that are transparent, objective and impartial.

FOREIGN CREDENTIALS RECOGNITION FUND

5. The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development may make payments to a trust fund established to provide funding to a province or municipality to help foreign-trained professionals integrate into their workplace and to support community-based organizations in their efforts to help those professionals become established in their community.

REGULATIONS

6. The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister and after consulting with the provinces, make regulations

(a) establishing the trust fund mentioned in section 5;

(b) specifying the terms and conditions subject to which payments under section 5 may be made;

(c) determining the total amount to be paid under section 5 and the conditions that may be imposed on payment; and

(d) generally, respecting any matter or thing necessary to effect the purposes of this Act.

REPORT TO PARLIAMENT

7. The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development shall prepare an annual report with respect to the administration of sections 4 and 5 during the preceding calendar year and shall cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of Parliament.