If they have no Canadian experience, how do I know they can do the job?

There are many ways to ensure that someone is qualified even if they have no Canadian work experience. Since there is a competitive advantage to fully accessing the internationally trained talent pool, it is important to know whether an individual can perform the job at or above Canadian standards.

Businesses need to find ways of assessing internationally trained individuals to be successful. Seventy-five percent of Canada's workforce growth now comes from immigration, and this is expected to grow to almost one-hundred percent before the decade ends. As our skills gap widens, understanding the unique nature of internationally trained workers in Canada and knowing how to increase the benefits of employing such individuals, will be critical to your competitive success and, possibly, to the longevity of your company.

Here are suggestions to help an employer decide whether an applicant's experience in other jurisdictions is applicable to Canadian or Ontario standards.

Internship Programs

Internship programs are short-term employment programs that give applicants an opportunity to learn about the Canadian workplace while working.

• Businesses benefit from an influx of qualified people;
• Employers benefit from the opportunity to determine a person's capabilities without committing to a full-time position;
• Internationally trained individuals gain valuable experience and networking opportunities;
• Employers of interns have the first chance to hire qualified individuals into full-time positions before they're hired by another company.

Mentoring

Mentoring is increasingly recognized as a good way to introduce and integrate internationally trained individuals into the workforce, while also providing additional supports. By offering mentoring opportunities, businesses can often benefit not only from assisting in a smooth transition for internationally trained staff, but also from the insight and experience that the applicant may have from years of international experience.

Many companies are already offering mentoring opportunities to staff with excellent results. St. Michael's Hospital is one example. They have developed a guide that can be used by other organizations to model new mentoring projects and build on their success. For more information about this program, click here.

Bridge Training

Bridge training projects are funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration and offer individuals training, education and other supports for specific occupations or trades. These innovative models develop ways for employers, regulatory bodies and educational institutions to assess existing skills and competencies and provide training and workplace experience, to help people move quickly into the labour market without duplicating what they have already learned elsewhere.

For more information about bridging programs, click here.

Need more information?

This section is new, and we expect to expand the content with your input. Send an email with your comments or suggestions to us at aptinfo@mci.gov.on.ca. Be sure to include "Employers section" in the subject of your email, to ensure the quickest response.

There are many issues facing employers when hiring internationally trained individuals. While this section may not be able to answer all of these questions or issues, we hope to be able to work with employers to make this section as informative and helpful as possible.