TRANSFERABLESKILLS

AddendumReportonCompetenciesandCriticalSkills

*ImagefromClarkeUniversityCareerServices

Calgary,May2016TalentPoolincooperationwith

CalgaryRegionImmigrantEmploymentCouncil

1

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION Page2

1. TRANSFERABLESKILLS Page5

2. TRANSFERABLESKILLSANDEXPRESSENTRY Page8

3. PRE-ARRIVALSERVICES Page13

4. THEEUROPEANAPPROACH Page15

5. RECOMMENDATON Page17

CONCLUSION Page19

EXHIBIT1 Page21

2

INTRODUCTION

AccordingtotheOrganizationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment,OECD,releasingthe

fullskillspotentialofimmigrantsisakeychallengeforbothdestinationandorigincountriesata

timewhenmanycountriesareexperiencingdemographicageingandagrowingdemandforskills

astheireconomiesbecomemoreknowledge-based.Theissueisalsoofgreatimportancewith

regardstosocialcohesionandforinternationaldevelopment.Migrationcanonlyhaveapositive

impactoneconomicdevelopment-inbothoriginanddestinationcountries-whenimmigrants

arewell-integratedandtheirfullrangeofskillsareproperlyusedinthedestinationcountries.

Inreality,however,mostdestinationcountrieshavealongwaytogotofullyappreciateanduse

migrants’skills.Acrosstheadvancedcountries,thenumberofhighly-educatedimmigrantshas

increased rapidlyover thepastdecade,however,muchof thispotential is currentlynot fully

used; and, perhaps not surprising but certainly disappointingly, qualifications and work

experienceacquiredabroadarelargelydiscountedinthehostlabourmarket.InvirtuallyallOECD

countries,highlyeducatedimmigrantshaveloweremploymentratesthannative-bornwiththe

sameformalqualification level–regardlessofage,genderandfieldofstudy.This isatypical

“triple-lose”situation(i.e.alossforthedestinationcountry,fortheorigincountry,andforthe

immigrant).Whenhighlyskilledimmigrantsareemployed,theyarealmosttwiceaslikelytobe

overqualifiedfortheircurrentjob.

Canadahasmuchtogainby recognizing immigrants’ learningandprofessionalcredentials. In

fact,thefailurebyCanadianemployerstorecognizeandeffectivelyutilizethefullrangeofskills,

learning, qualifications and core competencies, cuts across all demographics including

immigrants. In2015theConferenceBoardofCanadapublishedBrainGain20151stating that

“unrecognizededucationandskills inCanadacostbillionsofdollarsinlostearnings”.Thisisa

directimpacttothenationalGDPandproductivity.

1TheConferenceBoardofCanada,BrainGain2015,http://www.conferenceboard.ca/infographics/brain-gain.aspx.

3

Thisfailurehasbeentrendinginthewrongdirectionforthepast15yearsandshowslittlesign

of abating any time soon. To put this into real numbers of Canadian employees, 844,000

Canadiansfacechallengeshavingtheireducationandlearningrecognized,ofwhich482,080are

immigrants.ThisisasignificantissuethattearsatthefabricofCanadiansocietyandillustrates

theneedto findappropriatesolutions.Weappreciatethatstrategiesarebeingdevelopedby

corporate Canada, post-secondary learning institutions and government agencies and

departmentsincludingInnovation,ScienceandEconomicDevelopmentCanada,toaddressmany

oftheunderlyingfoundationalissues.Butthefactremainsthatasanationwearenotproviding

a large percentage of workers in Canada, including skilled immigrants, the opportunity to

participateintheeconomytotheirfullpotential.

4

In theglobal race for talent,Canadahas longbeenconsideredaworld leader,notably for its

abilitytoacquireskilledhumancapital throughacarefullycalibratedpointssystem.Although

manyimmigrantstoCanadaareselectedfortheirskills,thepastfewdecadeshaveseenhigh

unemploymentamongimmigrants,raisingconcernsthatCanada’simmigrationsystemisfailing

toliveuptoitspromise.2

Newly arrived immigrants struggle to gain a secure foothold in the labour market. Many

experienceprotractedperiodsofinactivity,unemployment,orlongtenuresinlow-skilledwork.

Skilled immigrants, meanwhile, often experience “brain waste” and are unable to put their

foreign qualifications to good use.3 The dynamics behind these troubling outcomes arewell

documented. Limited language proficiency, discrimination, and difficulties in having their

qualificationsrecognizedandinsignalinghowskillsandexperiencemeetemployers’needscan

allmakeithardfornewlyarrivedimmigrantstogetafootinthedoor.4

Canadadependsonamobilelabourforcewhoselearningcredentialsareissuedinadifferent

placefromwheretheywork.Learningcredentialsare increasingly importantasawaytosort

people into jobs.Canada is still a laggard in employing learning recognition as ameans to

increasereturnstohumancapitalandprovidesubstantialbenefitsfortheCanadianeconomy.5

HowcanCanadarealizethis?

2K.MyersandN.Conte,BuildingNewSkills:ImmigrationandWorkforceDevelopmentinCanada,MigrationPolicyInstitute,2013.3M.Bentonandothers,AimingHigher:PoliciestogetImmigrantsintoMiddle-SkilledWorkinEurope,MigrationPolicyInstitute,2014.4M.Bentonandothers,AimingHigher:PoliciestogetImmigrantsintoMiddle-SkilledWorkinEurope,MigrationPolicyInstitute,2014.5ConferenceBoardofCanada,BrainGain2015.

5

1. TRANSFERABLESKILLS

Accordingtothebusinessdictionaryaskillis:

“Anabilityandcapacityacquiredthroughdeliberate,systematic,andsustainedeffortto

smoothly and adaptively carry out complex activities or job functions involving ideas

(cognitiveskills),things(technicalskills),and/orpeople(interpersonalskills).”6

Transferableskillsarecompetenciesthatcanbeusedinmanysituationsandmanytypesofwork.

Whilesomeoftheseskillscanbetaught,mostaregainedthroughexperience.Theyareskillsyou

acquirethroughoutyourlife–throughpaidemployment,volunteerwork,school,community

activitiesand/orlifeexperiences.7

Mostjobsrequiretwotypesofskillsets:

• Technicalorjob-specificskills:mandatoryjobrequirementssuchasadegreeordiploma,

specializedtraining,etc.;

• Non-technical or soft skills: skills that can be easily used in more than one work

environment.Thesearetransferableskills.8

HowcanTransferableSkillsbeidentifiedandcatalogued?

Many governments, organizations, Human Resources experts and practitioners have helped

developthevocabularyandmeaningof“transferableskills”,eachbasedontheirownunique

perspectivesandneeds.AccordingtotheGovernmentofCanadaessentialskillsincludetheskills

associatedwithliteracy(i.e.reading,writing,documentuseandnumeracy)butgoesbeyondto

also includecritical thinking skills,oral communication, computeruse/digital skills,working

withothersandtheskillsassociatedwithcontinuouslearning.Togethertheseskillsprovidethe

foundationforlearningallotherskillsandenablepeopletobetterpreparefor,getandkeepa

job,andadaptandsucceedatwork.9

6BusinessDictionary,http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/skill.html#ixzz4ByEScXMi7SkilledImmigrantInfoCentre,http://pwp.vpl.ca/siic/career-advice/transferable-skills/8SkilledImmigrantInfoCentre,http://pwp.vpl.ca/siic/career-advice/transferable-skills/9GovernmentofCanada,http://www.esdc.gc.ca/en/essential_skills/definitions.page.

6

The ConferenceBoard of Canada developed its ownunderstanding of transferable skills in a

frameworkitcalls“EmployabilitySkills2000+10.Thisisalistofemployabilityskills,alsoknownas

transferableorsoftskillsneededintheworkplace,groupedinthefollowingthreecategories:

1. FundamentalSkills:theskillsneededasabasisforfurtherdevelopment.Suchas:

o communicatingideas

o followingdirections

o solvingproblems

o gatheringinformation

o makingdecisions

2. PersonalManagementSkills:thepersonalskills,attitudes,andbehaviorsthatdriveone’s

potentialforgrowth.Suchas:

o gettingalongwithothers

o respectingdifferences

o beingsupportive

o co-operatingwithotherstoachievesharedgoals

o acceptingandofferingconstructivefeedback

3. TeamworkSkills:theskillsandattributesneededtocontributeproductively.

o maintainingapositiveattitude

o settinggoalsandpriorities

o beingadaptable

o learningcontinuously

o workingsafely

Several toolshavebeenbasedon theEmployability Skills2000+.TheGovernmentofCanada

developed a quiz11 to rate one’s employability/transferable skills. This quiz is developed for

individualsexploringcareerpaths.However,onewonderswhythisquiz isnotmorebroadly

10ConferenceBoardofCanada,http://www.conferenceboard.ca/Libraries/EDUC_PUBLIC/esp2000.sflb.11GovernmentofCanada,https://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/toolbox/checklists/employability.jsp?lang=e.

7

knownorused?CouldthisquizbepartoftheExpressEntryprocess?Thereareseveralother

checklists for transferable skills developed. For example, a checklist from the Community

EmploymentServices(CES).SeeExhibit1.

Theissueisthatemployersdonotuseastandardizedapproachtoidentifyingtransferableskills

and the toolspreviously identifiedmaynot find theirway into thenumerousATSutilizedby

businesses.Thisinturnsignifiesthatforeigntalentcontinuestobeoverlooked.

8

2. TRANSFERABLESKILLSANDEXPRESSENTRY

Express Entry is a mechanism, introduced in January 2015, by Citizenship and Immigration

Canada (CIC). Itmanages andprocesses theapplications received throughCanada’sdifferent

economic immigrationprograms.ExpressEntry isnotanewimmigrationprogram.Applicants

will need to become eligible members of one of the following four economic immigration

programs.

• TheFederalSkilledWorkerProgram;

• TheCanadianExperienceClass;

• TheFederalSkilledTradesProgram;and

• TheProvincialNomineeProgram.

EligiblemembersforExpressEntrywillthensubmitanExpressionofInterest(EOI)application.It

willbeassessedandissuedarankingscore.TherankingscoreforExpressEntrywillbebasedon

thenewComprehensiveRankingSystem(CRS).Thisnewrankingsystemdoesnotconsistofnew

selectioncriteria(likethatoftheoneusedfortheFederalSkilledWorkerProgram).Itisaranking

system for applicants who have already qualified under one of the four eligible economic

programs.12Applicantswillbeassignedpointsbasedonthefollowingcategories13:

Categories MaximumPoints ImproveScoreAge 100 Education 140 1. Improveeducation

2. Get an Educational CredentialAssessment(ECA)

LanguageProficiency 150 RetakeLanguageTestCanadianWorkExperience 70 Gain(more)relevantWorkExperienceSkillsTransferability 100LMIAStatus 600 SecureavalidJobOfferandLMIA

12Iwama,M.,ExpressEntry:TheBasics,January2016,http://moving2canada.com/immigration-to-canada/express-entry-canada/.13ExpressEntryfortheNewcomer,https://www.albertacanada.com/files/albertacanada/EE_Newcomers.pdf.

9

TheCRS is a score out of 1,200used to benchmark federal economic applicants against one

another.Thescoreisusedasacut-offpointinExpressEntrydraws.Itisdesignedtoprojecta

candidate’slikelihoodofbeingeconomicallysuccessfulinCanada.ThosewithanLMIAareeligible

for a bonus 600 points in the CRS. In other words, without a LMIA, you can only receive a

maximumof600outofthe1,200pointsonoffer.ThegoodnewsisthatthenumberofCRSpoints

candidatesneedtoapplyhasbeendroppingsignificantlyandhasbeenbelow.14

AgoalofExpressEntryistoensurestronglinksbetweeneconomicimmigrationandtheCanadian

labourmarket.TheCRSwillassesstheprofile informationcandidatessubmit, including:skills,

workexperience,languageability,educationandotherfactors.AccordingtotheGovernmentof

Canada,thesefactorsallplayaroleineconomicsuccessforimmigrantsonceinCanada.15

ThesummaryofpointsperfactorforExpressEntrycandidatesshowsthatskillsrefertolanguage

skillsandeducation.16

C.SkillTransferabilityfactors Maximum100points

Education Maximum50pointsWith good/strong official languages proficiency and a post-secondarydegree

50

WithCanadianworkexperienceandapost-secondarydegree 50Foreignworkexperience Maximum50pointsWithgood/strongofficiallanguagesproficiencyandforeignworkexperience

50

WithCanadianworkexperienceandforeignworkexperience 50Certificateofqualification(forpeopleintradeoccupations) Maximum50pointsWithgood/strongofficiallanguagesproficiencyandacertificateofqualification

50

14Iwama,M.,ExpressEntry:TheBasics,January2016,http://moving2canada.com/immigration-to-canada/express-entry-canada/.15GovernmentofCanada,http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/criteria-crs.asp.16http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/grid-crs.asp

10

Many of Canada’s immigrants are skilled: they hold a disproportionate number of graduate

degrees,accountingfornearlyhalf(49percent)ofallPhDsand40percentofmaster’srecipients.

Withthefastestgrowthindemandexpectedforjobsthatrequireuniversityeducation,theneed

for their contributions will intensify. Despite their qualifications, skilled immigrants are

chronically underemployed, at significant cost to our economy.A 2012 study concluded that

raisingtheemploymentrateofimmigrantworkerstothelevelofnon-immigrantswouldresult

inapproximately370,000morepeopleworking.17

AkeyfindingofBeyondCanadianExperience18,aresearchprojectbytheUniversityofToronto

andseveralTorontocommunityorganizations,showsthefollowing:“Employersadmitthatmany

immigrantshavethehardskills(experienceandexpertise)requiredforthejob,buttheywant

immigrants to show them that they have the soft skills (fitting in with the team, conflict

resolution,workplacecommunication)”.However, if immigrantsarenotscreenednorscored

forthoseskills,howwilltheybematchedtostatedemployers’needs?Bywhatmechanism?

HowcanExpressEntryfacilitatetheprocess?

17GovernmentofCanada,PanelonEmploymentChallengesofNewCanadians,SurvivaltoSuccess:TransformingImmigrantOutcomes,2015,http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/credential_recognition/consultations/index.shtml.18http://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/other/dont-ask-skilled-immigrants-for-canadian-work-experience-74833.

11

Aresearch intoskillneedsofmajorCanadianemployersshowedthattheemphasis isonsoft

skills–alsoknownasnon-cognitiveskills–ratherthanhardskills19.

WhileCanadianemployerswantsoftskillsoverhard,ortechnicalskills,whichcanbelearnedon

thejob,theCanadianExpressEntrycriteriaforimmigration,donotallocatepointstosoftskills.

ThefocusintheExpressEntrysystemonhardskillsratherthansoftskillsseemsnottobealigned

withtheneedsintheCanadianlabourmarket.WhenimmigrantsarriveinCanada,theirsoftskills

are measured by Canadian standards and there is insufficient emphasis on follow-up for

alternative careers and enhanced soft-skills training. The challenge is to transition those

immigrantswhoareinCanadafromsurvivaljobstojobswheretheycanbestusetheirskillsand

experience and to ensure future immigrants get jobs commensurate with their skills and

experience.20

19CanadianCouncilofChiefExecutives,Preliminarysurveyreport:theskillneedsofmajorCanadianemployers,January2014,http://www.ceocouncil.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Preliminary-report-on-skills-survey-Jan-20-2014-2.pdf.20GovernmentofCanada,PanelonEmploymentChallengesofNewCanadians,SurvivaltoSuccess:TransformingImmigrantOutcomes,2015,http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/credential_recognition/consultations/index.shtml.

12

The longer they stay in survival jobs, the bigger the chance of a lost generational

productivity. It will be the next generation that will integrate and decades of meaningful,

productivelabourcontributionswillhavebeenwasted.

13

3. PRE-ARRIVALSERVICES

There are a number of services offered by agencies, like immigrant serving agencies, and

governments across the country that can support individuals who are planning to come to

Canada. These are pre-arrival services and initiatives. Pre-arrival immigrant services have

emerged as a very popular topic in Canada in the recent years. This probably relates to the

GovernmentofCanada’srecentemphasisonpre-arrivalservicesasameanstosupportfastand

seamlessintegrationofimmigrantsintotheCanadianlabourmarketandsociety.21

A pre-arrival service is the Settlement Online Pre-Arrival (SOPA) is an online hub providing

guidance and personalized pre- employment supports for immigrants destined to Canada.

Initiated and implementedby Immigrant ServicesAssociation ofNova Scotia (ISANS) in early

2016, theprogram isdelivered inpartnershipwith fiveother settlementagencies inCanada:

AlteredMindsInc.(Manitoba),CalgaryCatholicImmigrationSociety(Alberta),MOSAIC(British

Columbia), Catholic Centre for Immigrants (Ontario) and Regina Open Door Society

(Saskatchewan). Services include information and orientation, needs assessment, developing

actionplan,referraltosettlementagenciesintheintendedlocationsandonlinecoursesdesigned

topromotesettlementandeconomicintegrationskillsofpotentialimmigrantstoCanada.22

TheCalgaryRegionImmigrantEmploymentCouncil,CRIEC,providespre-arrivalservicesthrough

itsrecentlylaunchedSmartPathwaysstrategy.Likemostpre-arrivalservicesofferedbyagencies

inCanada,thisisacombinedon-line,e-mailandlivevoice(Skype,etc.)formatthatenablespre-

arrival international talent to take full advantage of the CRIEC array of career path planning

programsincludingane-mentoringcomponent.WhenthenewcomerfinallyarrivesinCanada,

heor she is the connected to thepost-arrival servicesCRIECprovides includingaccreditation

advice,effectivenetworking/connectingintheappropriatesectorsandlivementoring.Muchof

CRIEC’sworkcentresonthisconceptoftransferableskillsandthecareerpathwaysavailableto

21Bhuiyan,M.,ReportonPre-ArrivalServicesinWesternCanada,UniversityofManitoba,2016.22Bhuiyan,M.,ReportonPre-ArrivalServicesinWesternCanada,UniversityofManitoba,2016.

14

the skilled newcomer – for example, workshops focus on understanding, appreciating and

articulatingthesetransferableskillssothatthenewcomerhasthebestchancepossibletosecure

meaningfulemploymentand,indeed,truecareerpaths.

In fact, most of these pre-arrival programs focus on skills development and orientation, for

exampleitoffersanonlinecoursetolearnabouttheessentialskillsnecessarytofindajoband

besuccessful inyourCanadianworkplace fromcommunicationskills to team-workingskills.23

Whilethisinitiativeseemtofocusonimportantaspectsforsuccessfulimmigration,aquestion

atthisstageintimeishowtomakethisplatformknowntoallimmigrantgroups?Aslongasit

isnotobligatoryorusedincompulsoryprocesseslikeExpressEntry,manyimmigrantswillnotbe

awareandstillbeoverlooked.24

23SOPA,http://www.arriveprepared.ca.24Pleasesee“PartnershipPracticesforPre-ArrivalServicesinWesternCanada–AConceptMap”foradirectoryofpre-arrivalprogramsthroughoutManitoba,Saskatchewan,AlbertaandBritishColumbia.

15

4. THEEUROPEANAPPROACH

Transferableskillsopenroadstoproductivity,employability,andsustainabledevelopment.The

abilityto identifyneededskillsandcompetenciesandtheabilitytodevelopthesewillbekey

differentiatorsforfuturesuccessoforganizations,andfutureemployabilityforindividualsand

communities.Competenciesaretheintegratedknowledge,skills,judgment,andattributesthat

people need to perform a job effectively. The competency approach allows portability and

transferability. Competencies can be acquired in different ways and are applicable to other

functions of similar nature, contributing to improve people’s future employability during an

economicdownturn.25

Labourmobility,bothgeographicalandoccupational,isonewayoftacklingskillsmismatchesby

bettermatchingthelaboursupply(withtherightskills/educationalqualifications/location)and

labour demand. Labour mobility within has the potential to help to reduce labour market

pressuresandeaseeconomicimbalances.

IntheEuropeanUniontheprimarypurposeofthemajorityofcompetenceframeworkshasbeen

to raise the skill level of theworkforce. Several European countries have adopted anational

qualification framework and a comprehensive system of sectoral competence-based

qualifications.Another,morefar-rangingEuropeaninitiativeistheproductionoftheEuropean

QualificationFrameworkthatrefersto learningoutcomes.This isatranslationtoolthathelps

communication and comparison between qualifications systems in Europe. The inspiration

behindtheEQFisthatlifelonglearninghasbecomeanecessityinaEuropecharacterizedbyrapid

social,technologicalandeconomicchange.26

25Justo,A.,DevelopingCompetenciesduringtheeconomicdownturn,http://armandojusto.blogspot.ca/2010/01/developing-competencies-during-economic.html.26TRACE,OverviewofEuropeanCompetencyFrameworks,2005.

16

Skills recognition isavitalelementwhenapplying inanothercountryandmuchprogresshas

alreadybeenmade,althoughincertainprofessionalsegments,suchashealthcare,scrutinyof

foreign certificates is still exceptionally severe. The European Skills, Competences and

Occupationstaxonomy(ESCO)targetsthepracticalbarriersofactuallymatchingapplicants’skills,

competencesandqualificationswiththeforeignequivalentwhichbeginwithfindingtheproper

counterpart in another language. Once ESCO has been completed and is available in all EU

languages, it will be disseminated to educational institutions, companies and employment

agencies. The European Commission is improving the cross-border job matching process by

upgradingtheEURESsys-tem;whetherthiswillhaveasubstantialimpactremainstobeseen.27

Online job portals normally use one classification system and one language. It's difficult to

exchangedatabetweenthem,particularlywhenthesystemsarebasedindifferentcountries.

This makes it harder to find the right job abroad. ESCO identifies and categorizes skills,

competences,qualificationsandoccupationsinastandardway,usingstandardterminologyinall

EUlanguagesandanopenformatthatcanbeusedbythirdparties'software.Itenablesusersto

exchange CVs and job vacancies stored in different IT systems. The multilingual ESCO

classificationiscomposedofthreeinter-relatedpillarscoveringoccupations;skills/competences;

andqualifications;linkedtorelevantinternationalclassificationsandframeworks,suchasNACE,

ISCOandEQF.28

27LabourmobilityintheEU;Dynamics,PatternsandPolicies,https://www.ceps.eu/system/files/IEForum32014.pdf.28EuropeanSkills/Competences,qualificationsandOccupations(ESCO),http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1042.

17

5. RECOMMENDATION

Canadaisacountryoflabourmobilityandimmigration.Immigrantshavebeenanimportantpart

ofCanada’s laboursupplyover thepast fewdecades,andthis trend isexpectedtocontinue.

ManyofthesenewCanadiansareskilled.Withthefastestgrowthindemandexpectedforjobs

thatrequireuniversityeducation,theneedforskilled immigrants’contributionswill intensify.

Despitetheirqualifications,skilledimmigrantsarechronicallyunderemployed,atsignificantcost

totheCanadianeconomy.29

Canadaneedstofocusonintegratingskilledimmigrantsintotherightjobssotheycancontribute

to the Canadian economy as well as build a meaningful career and life in Canada. The

acknowledgementoftheimportanceofessentialskillsshouldbeintegratedintoourprocesses,

preferably at the national level. The Express Entry system could be the place to integrate,

acknowledgeandscoretransferableskills,byincreasingtheallocationofpointsinExpressEntry

giventoSkillscurrentlysittingat100.Onewaytoacknowledgeandscoretransferableskillsisby

usingtheSkillsquiz30developedbytheGovernmentofCanadaandbasedontheEmployability

Skills2000+fromtheConferenceBoard.

Secondly, Canada should focusmore on pre-arrival services as ameans to support fast and

seamlessintegrationofimmigrantsintotheCanadianlabourmarketandsociety.Anoptioncould

betheintegrationofpre-arrivalservicesintonationalimmigrationprograms,bymakingthese

programs and services obligatory. The relatively new SOPA initiative has the right focus on

transferableskills.Nowitisofimportancetobringthistotheimmigrantsbeforetheyarrivein

Canada.AslongasitisnotobligatoryorusedincompulsoryprocesseslikeExpressEntry,many

immigrantswillnotbeinformedwhileitcanservetheireconomicintegrationverywell.

29GovernmentofCanada,PanelonEmploymentChallengesofNewCanadians,SurvivaltoSuccess:TransformingImmigrantOutcomes,2015,http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/credential_recognition/consultations/index.shtml.30GovernmentofCanada,https://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/toolbox/checklists/employability.jsp?lang=e.

18

Finally,Canadadependsonamobilelabourforcewhoselearningcredentialsareoftenissuedin

adifferentplacefromwheretheywork.Learningcredentialsareincreasinglyimportantasaway

tosortpeopleintojobs.Canadaisstillalaggardinemployinglearningrecognitionasameansto

increasereturnstohumancapitalandprovidesubstantialbenefitsfortheCanadianeconomy.

Canada needs a flexible learning recognition system that allows people to use their learning

credentialstothefullestwherevertheymaymoveinCanada—likelyonethatismoreflexible

thanothercountries.CanadashouldlookatdevelopmentsandprogressmadeintheEuropean

Union’sclassificationsystemandonlinetools.

19

CONCLUSION

Canadadependsonamobilelabourforceandimmigration.AccordingtotheConferenceBoard

ofCanada,844,000Canadiansfacechallengeshavingtheireducationandlearningrecognized,of

which482,080areimmigrants.31AccordingtotheOrganizationforEconomicCo-operationand

Development,OECD,muchoftheskillsandknowledgeofmigrantsisnotusedduetobarriersin

transferability of skills and qualifications, while work experience acquired abroad may be

discountedinthelabourmarket.SkillsmatchingwillremainachallengeamongG20countries,

particularlyasmigrationpoliciesdonotyetconsistentlyincorporatelabourmarketevidenceand

arenotfullyalignedwithemploymentpolicies.32

Canadaisacountryof immigrants:In2011,immigrantsrepresented20.6percentofCanada’s

population,thehighestproportionamongG7countries.Immigrantshavebeenanimportantpart

ofCanada’slaboursupplyoverthepastfewdecades,andthistrendisexpectedtocontinue.The

proportionofCanada’sworkingagedpopulationaccountedforbyimmigrantshasbeenslowly

increasing for the past 15 years. Many of these new Canadians are skilled: they hold a

disproportionatenumberofgraduatedegrees,accountingfornearlyhalf(49percent)ofallPhDs

and40percentofmaster’srecipients.Withthefastestgrowthindemandexpectedforjobsthat

require university education, the need for their contributions will intensify. Despite their

qualifications, skilled immigrants are chronically underemployed, at significant cost to our

economy.33

Firstofall,Canadashouldintegratetheacknowledgementoftheimportanceofessentialskills

intothenationalprocesses.TheExpressEntrysystemcouldbetheplacetointegrate,

31TheConferenceBoardofCanada,BrainGain2015,http://www.conferenceboard.ca/infographics/brain-gain.aspx.32OECD,TheContributionofLabourMobilitytoGrowth33GovernmentofCanada,PanelonEmploymentChallengesofNewCanadians,SurvivaltoSuccess:TransformingImmigrantOutcomes,2015,http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/credential_recognition/consultations/index.shtml.

20

acknowledgeandscoretransferableskills,forexamplebasedonthequizdevelopedby

governmentandbasedontheEmployabilitySkills2000+fromtheConferenceBoard.Secondly,

andanextraorotheroptioncouldbetheintegrationofpre-arrivalservicesintonational

immigrationprograms,bymakingtheseprogramsobligatory.TherelativelynewSOPAinitiative

hastherightfocus,nowitisofimportancetobringthistotheimmigrantsbeforetheyarrivein

Canada.Andfinally,toimprovelabourmobilityinCanadaweneedaworldclasslearning

recognitionsystem.

21

EXHIBIT1ChecklistofTransferableSkills34• Communicate:Speakand/orwritewellandgetyourideasacrosstoothereasily.• Interpret:Lookatthingsandmakesenseofthem,figureoutwhatmakesthingswork,why

thereisaproblem,etc.• Analyze:Breakaproblemdowntoseewhatisreallygoingon.• Creativity:Useyourimaginationtocomeupwithnewideasortosolveproblems.• OrderGoods/Supplies:Keeptrackofitemsandhowtoorderthem.• DecisionMaking:Makegoodjudgementsaboutwhattodoinadifficultsituation,evenwhen

thesupervisorisnotpresent.• AdapttoSituations:Learnanewtaskand/orworkinadifferentareawithdifferentco-workers.• Explain:Tellotherswhyyoudocertainthingsthewayyoudoorwhyyouthinkthewayyou

do.• ThinkAhead:Planyourdayandkeepproblems/accidentsfromhappening.• CalculateNumbers:Useacalculator,cashregisterorcomputertoanswernumericalquestions.• OperateEquipment:Turnequipmentonandoffaswellashowtouseitsafelyandwisely.(If

youdon'tknowhowtooperatecertainthings,youalwaysaskforhelp.)• RecordData:Writethoroughandaccuratenotes/numbers.• SetGoals:Setgoalsforyourselftoachieveandplanwaystoachievethem.• LearnQuickly:Donewthingsandcarryoutnewresponsibilitieseasilybywatchingotherorby

followinginstructions.• Confident:Believeinandfeelgoodaboutyourself.• Pleasant:Nicepersonforotherstotalktoandbewith.• Energetic:Lotsofenergytouseatworkandatplay.• Helpful:Enjoyhelpingpeoplesolvetheirproblems.• Trustworthy:Canbetrustedtogetthejobdone,tolookafterthingsorkeepsecretsthatare

veryimportanttootherpeople.• Efficient:Performtasksinthefastestandsimplestwaysthattheycanbedone.• Organize:Arrangepeople/planevents/putthingsinordersothattheyrunsmoothly.• Delegate:Assigntaskstootherstocomplete.• AssembleProducts:Putthingstogetherwithyourhands.• TakeInstructions:Followinstructionswell,askquestionswhenyoudonotfullyunderstand

instructions.• MotivateOthers:Helpkeepothers'spiritsupandencouragethemtodotheirbest.• ServiceCustomers:Befriendly,patientandpolitewithcustomersandtryyourbesttoservice

theirneeds/wants.• Dependable:Canbecountedontodowhatyousaidyouwoulddo(i.e.showupforworkon

time,doyourjobdutieswell,etc.).• Flexible:Can carryoutmanydifferent responsibilities, sometimeswithvery littleadvanced

34CommunityEmploymentServices(CES),http://www.ceswoodstock.org/job_search/skillstransf.shtml.

22

notice.• Self-assured:Feelveryconfidentandpositiveaboutyourselfandyourabilities.• Supervise:Watchotherstomakesurethateverythingisokand/orthattheyaredoingtheir

jobswell.• Time Management: Plan your time so that you don't forget to do things, you're almost

always/alwaysontime,andyouknowhowtoprioritizeandgiveyourselfenoughtimetodothethingsthatyouneedtodo.

• Trouble-shoot:Figureoutwhattheproblemis,whythereisaproblem,orpreventaproblembeforeithappens.

• Handle Complaints: Deal effectively with complaints made by customers or constructivecriticismfromyouremployer.

• Listen: Listen/pay attention to what others are saying, without daydreaming or formingjudgementaboutthem.

• Considerate:Alwaysthinkabouthowothersmayfeelaboutthings,especiallybeforeyousayordothingsthatmyaffectthem.

• Punctual:Alwaysontimeforthings.• Loyal:Committedanddevotedtothings/peoplethatmeanalottoyou(i.e.yourbestfriend,

yourjob/supervisor).• Precise:Makesurethatthingsaredoneaccurately,correctlyandexactly.• Resourceful:Thingofnew,creativeanddifferentwaystodothingswhentherearenoobvious

solutionsavailable.