Credential Assessment for Regulated Occupations

Many jobs in British Columbia are regulated. This means you need a certificate or license from a professional regulatory authority to work in that occupation.

To protect public health, safety, and confidence in quality services it is necessary to ensure that all people who practice in these occupations are qualified. Sometimes, the credential recognition process can create challenges for people. To help people work in their chosen occupation, B.C. offers the following support.

B.C. has two programs in place to support the credential recognition process:

• For internationally trained professionals: Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants
• For regulatory authorities: Credential Assessment Improvement Fund

Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants

Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants helps internationally trained professionals use their qualifications to find work in B.C. It assists recent permanent residents with the following:

• Navigating credential assessment and recognition processes
• Upgrading their skills so they can find work in their field

To find out if you’re eligible, visit the career paths for skilled immigrants site on WelcomeBC.

Credential Assessment Improvement Fund

The Credential Assessment Improvement Fund (CAIF) invests in credential recognition projects led by professional regulatory authorities.

Its goals are to:

1. Improve the fairness and efficiency of regulatory processes for assessing international credentials; and
2. Improve newcomers’ access to information about regulated occupations so they can make informed immigration, licensure and employment choices.

The principles of the Credential Assessment Improvement Fund are the promotion of:

• Public Interest: Regulators have the mandate to establish and maintain occupational standards that protect public health, safety, and confidence. Protecting the public interest also means ensuring that B.C. has an inclusive workforce that can deliver the services people need
• Fairness:  Applicants can rely on professional licensure policies and processes to be fair and non-discriminatory. All qualified applicants have a timely pathway to certification and the application process does not disadvantage any group
• Transparency:  Applicants have access to all necessary information to understand the pathways and requirements to professional licensure
• Efficiency: Applicants have a right to receive regulator decisions without undue delay. Credential assessment processes include only those steps necessary to inform a regulatory decision, allowing international applicants to achieve licensure more quickly