Canada extends support for newcomer healthcare professionals to secure jobs

Canada has announced close to $1.5 million in funds to help internationally educated newcomer healthcare professionals join the Canadian workforce. This funding builds on the success of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s (CHEO) National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4) and aims to promote sector collaboration and information sharing of foreign qualification and credential recognition requirements for internationally educated healthcare professionals.

In April 2019, CHEO launched the National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4) to focus on breaking down barriers faced by newcomers, including linguistic and cultural hurdles when accessing health and social services. N4 developed an online platform to facilitate inter-sectoral connections, learning and collaborations, including a resource toolkit, a community of practice working groups, a certificate program, a database and bi-monthly webinars by subject matter experts.

With the nearly $1.5 million funding, which was announced by Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the N4 will help internationally educated healthcare professionals fill key positions in the sector. Also, the N4 will be able to serve as a platform where newcomers and internationally educated healthcare professionals can find information on foreign qualifications and credential recognition in all provinces and territories outside Quebec.

Alex Munter, CEO and President of CHEO emphasizes the importance of including newcomers in the Canadian labour force. “Newcomers are an integral part of our communities. Their full inclusion in our healthcare workforce will help us address staffing shortages, while also incorporating richly diverse voices of lived experience and better supporting other newcomers,” he says.

Also read: Canada’s Express Entry to resume in July 2022

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