Canada and Australia Roundtable on Foreign Qualification Recognition wraps up in Vancouver

03/24/2013

Vancouver, March 23, 2013 —The second Canada-Australia Roundtable on Foreign Qualification Recognition (FQR) was held in Vancouver March 20-22, 2013. The Roundtable brought together approximately 70 Canadians and Australians representing government, professional regulatory authorities, employers, academia and immigrant serving organizations, to discuss current issues in FQR, share best practices, strengthen professional linkages, and work towards enhanced labour mobility.

“The Government of Canada is committed to improving the process of foreign credential recognition and helping newcomers to integrate better into the Canadian labour market and Canadian society,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “Canada and Australia share many similarities making our countries ideal candidates for learning from one another’s experiences with foreign qualification recognition.”

During the event two Mutual Recognition Agreements were re-signed between Engineers Canada and Certified General Accountants Canada and their Australian counterparts, Engineers Australia and Certified Practicing Accountants.

“In order to create jobs and opportunity in every region of Canada, our government is committed to creating the conditions that facilitate the movement of goods, services and people to priority markets around the world,” said Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway Ed Fast, who attended the signing ceremony.  “Doing so helps Canadian businesses expand and succeed abroad which creates prosperity here at home.  The agreements signed today make good business sense and represent a win-win for both Canada and Australia."

A Mutual Recognition Agreement is a cross-border and cross-sectoral agreement between regulators to mutually recognize each others' qualifications.  They can be reached between professional regulatory bodies, nations and regional groupings in which the parties agree to recognize some or all of the conditions required for licensure, such as academic credentials, professional qualifications, or both.

The agreements identify areas for joint collaboration and give each organization’s members enhanced international labour mobility, smoothing the way for quicker labour market integration for newcomers in these professions.

CIC news