Last Updated On 17 June 2024, 10:33 AM EDT (Toronto Time)

A new International Credentials Recognition Act will come into effect in British Columbia (B.C.) on July 1, 2024, that will ease licensing for 29 occupations.

The act will require 18 regulatory authorities to remove barriers for qualified professionals in 29 professions, allowing them to pursue and gain certification recognition, regardless of whether they received their training inside or outside Canada.

One significant shift is the elimination of the catch-22 of unnecessary Canadian work experience requirements for experienced, internationally certified professionals.

The catch-22 was that a person needed work experience to work in Canada but was unable to do so due to a lack of Canadian experience.

The new Act. will also improve parity by mandating authorities charge the same fees to international and domestic applicants and also eliminating unnecessary English-language exam requirements.

There is also a need for public accountability and transparency through additional data collection and reporting obligations, as well as enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the act.

More Details and Timeline of The B.C. New International Credentials Recognition Act

Regulations implementing the act will reduce barriers to credential recognition by removing the Canadian work experience requirements for 18 regulators who need this as a prerequisite for licensing, effective July 1, 2025.

In addition to the regulations, the Act will come into effect on July 1, 2024.

to establish guidelines for when the superintendent of international credential recognition may issue an exemption to a regulator with a solid basis for requiring Canadian work experience.
set the maximum administrative penalty at $100,000.

Major features of the Act. include:

Applicants who have previously submitted valid English-language test results are not required to give new ones.
mandating regulators to charge the same costs to both international and domestic applicants.
increasing efficiency by ensuring that candidates receive the information they require to obtain professional certification swiftly and without undue delay.
reducing wait times, the province will demand that decisions be made within a reasonable amount of time.
increasing transparency by requiring regulators to provide all information about their certification assessment processes online.
new reporting requirements and enforcement authorities to ensure accountability.
appointing a new superintendent in charge of promoting fair credential recognition, reviewing regulatory authority performance, and ensuring conformity with the new legislation.

New International Credentials Recognition Act: Full List of 18 Regulatory Authorities

Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC
Architectural Institute of BC
Association of BC Forest Professionals
Association of BC Land Surveyors 
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC
BC College of Social Workers

BC Institute of Agrologists
BC Registered Music Teachers’ Association 
BC Society of Landscape Architects 
College of Applied Biologists
College of Veterinarians of BC
Director of Teacher Certification (and BC Teachers’ Council)
Director of the Early Childhood Educator Registry

Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board
Law Society of BC
Organization of Chartered Professional Accountants of BC
Society of Notaries Public of BC
Superintendent of Real Estate (and BC Financial Services Authority)

New International Credential Recognition Act: Full List of 29 Occupations

registered music teacher
professional engineer
professional teaching certificate holder
land surveyor
early childhood educator
landscape architect
early childhood educator assistant
applied science technologist
conditional teaching certificate holder
certified technician
social worker
veterinarian
registered clinical social worker
lawyer
professional biologist
architect
applied biology technician
notary public
registered biology technologist
emergency medical assistant, including paramedics
professional geoscientist
chartered professional accountant
registered professional forester
associate real estate broker
registered forest technologist
managing real estate broker
professional agrologist
real estate representative
technical agrologist

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Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) licensed by CICC (formerly known as ICCRC) with member number R708618. He brings extensive knowledge of immigration law and new changes to rapidly evolving IRCC.