BC To Remove Barriers For Some Foreign-Trained Professionals From July 1

Key Takeaways

• The law is designed to reduce barriers for workers with international training who want to work in BC, including removing requirements for Canadian work experience. This is a big deal, since the requirement to have Canadian work experience is a significant barrier faced by internationally trained professionals who have skills and experience Canada needs. 
• It will apply to 29 regulated professions, including professions in the education and social work, biology and environmental sciences, engineering and architecture, health and legal professions, and financial and real estate sectors. 

Purpose Of The New Laws In BC

The new law in BC requires regulatory bodies to improve the credential recognition process and make it fairer and easier for people to work using their skills in BC, regardless of where they received their training and experience. 

The act specifically requires the removal of unfair provisions, including: 

• Removing unfair Canadian work experience requirements. 
• Prohibiting updated English language tests if valid test results have previously been supplied. 
• If fees are required, they must be similar for international and domestic applicants. 

The new law also requires the regulating bodies to share information about professional certification quickly and more transparently. Increased accountability requirements will also come into effect, which require regulators to be responsible for introducing fair and inclusive processes for qualified applicants. 

Professions To Benefit From Reduced Barriers To Entry In BC

Here’s a complete list of the 29 professions that will benefit from these new laws and the removal of barriers to entry: 

• Registered music teacher. 
• Early childhood educator.
• Early childhood educator assistant. 
• Professional teaching certificate holder. 
• Conditional teaching certificate holder. 
• Social worker. 
• Registered clinical social worker. 
• Professional biologist. 
• Applied biology technician. 
• Registered biology technologist. 
• Professional geoscientist. 
• Registered professional forester. 
• Registered forest technologist. 
• Professional agrologist. 
• Technical agrologist. 
• Architect. 
• Professional engineer. 
• Land surveyor. 
• Landscape architect. 
• Applied science technologist. 
• Certified technician. 
• Veterinarian.
• Lawyer. 
• Notary public. 
• Emergency medical assistant. 
• Associate real estate broker. 
• Managing real estate broker. 
• Real estate representative. 
• Chartered professional accountant. 

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