Hiring foreign graduates with proper credential evaluation will benefit the US with billions of dollars.
April 11, 2005 (Press Release) --
Non-recognition of immigrant credentials is costing Canadians over $2 billion every year according to World Education Services, the authorized credential evaluation service of the government of Ontario.
World Education Services contend that the cost of providing income support to 5,000 foreign-trained workers would be $60 million, and retraining 10,000 people would cost taxpayers $10 million. But the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has estimated that there are 265,000 vacant jobs among small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada. 186,000 of these have been vacant for four months or more while nearly 40,000 highly skilled immigrants have been arriving in Ontario annually for years.
"The fact is that over 75% of foreign credentials in the engineering, health care and IT fields we evaluated in the past year are equivalent to or exceed Canadian standards," offers Owen. "We analyzed 341 academic degree programs from 5 countries and compared them to similar programs offered at institutions in Ontario. It is clear that employers looking for skilled labour could benefit from using the type of analysis we can provide to them, as it gives them the answers on specific candidate's academic background."
Professor Jeffrey G. Reitz, University of Toronto is an expert in the skills recognition gap. His studies also show that immigrants' skills are under-utilized. "We need a new equation on human capital," comments Reitz. "Clearly, foreign credentials can count in Ontario--we have to wake up employers in skills short industries about the costs of brain waste. Credentials assessment can play a key role."
Credential Evaluation Services is a not-for-profit organization that evaluates foreign degrees and diplomas, providing equivalents to employers, job applicants, academic institutions and professional licensing bodies. CES performed 20,000 assessments in 2004. Employers and applicants can access Credential Evaluation Services at www.changemetoday.com.
World Education Services contend that the cost of providing income support to 5,000 foreign-trained workers would be $60 million, and retraining 10,000 people would cost taxpayers $10 million. But the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has estimated that there are 265,000 vacant jobs among small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada. 186,000 of these have been vacant for four months or more while nearly 40,000 highly skilled immigrants have been arriving in Ontario annually for years.
"The fact is that over 75% of foreign credentials in the engineering, health care and IT fields we evaluated in the past year are equivalent to or exceed Canadian standards," offers Owen. "We analyzed 341 academic degree programs from 5 countries and compared them to similar programs offered at institutions in Ontario. It is clear that employers looking for skilled labour could benefit from using the type of analysis we can provide to them, as it gives them the answers on specific candidate's academic background."
Professor Jeffrey G. Reitz, University of Toronto is an expert in the skills recognition gap. His studies also show that immigrants' skills are under-utilized. "We need a new equation on human capital," comments Reitz. "Clearly, foreign credentials can count in Ontario--we have to wake up employers in skills short industries about the costs of brain waste. Credentials assessment can play a key role."
Credential Evaluation Services is a not-for-profit organization that evaluates foreign degrees and diplomas, providing equivalents to employers, job applicants, academic institutions and professional licensing bodies. CES performed 20,000 assessments in 2004. Employers and applicants can access Credential Evaluation Services at www.changemetoday.com.
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