In my book “Achieving Prosperity through Diversity”,  I mentioned in tongue and cheek that if you ever suffered a heart attack in Metro Vancouver then be in taxi.

This is because many of the taxi drivers are heart surgeons. Many professionals who come to Canada are not able to practice their professions, because their credentials are not recognized by many of the Canadian institutions.

Now the Canadian federal government and the provinces will be unveiling a package to assist foreign trained professionals to get their credentials recognized.

By the end of the year a system will be in place that will begin to recognize foreign credentials which will ultimately allow new comers to practice their professions instead ending up doing menial jobs.

For now there will be eight occupations:  registered nurses, medical technologists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, architects, financial auditors and accountants, engineers

And then within three years, another six occupations will be added: physicians, dentists, engineering technicians, licensed practical nurses, medical radiation technologists and kindergarten to grade 1 teachers.

Finally the federal government has realized that new comers  are not able to practice their chosen professions, which is a waste of talent, especially when there is a labour shortage. And this predicament will only get worse due to low birth rates and as the baby boomers begin to retire.

According to Statistics Canada 60 per cent of the immigrants often end up working in different fields than the ones in which they worked in their native country.

It costs the Canadian economy between $2.4 billion to $15 billion annually when foreign credentials are not recognized. Ottawa plans to allocate about $50 million dollars plus the provinces will also kick in to this much needed project.