Foreign Credential Referral Office

The Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) is part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada which was created to help foreign-trained workers succeed in Canada.

For the purpose of helping foreign-trained workers succeed in Canada, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services so the the integration of this workers will not be difficult.

Remember that the approval of your permanent resident visa application and eventual entry in Canada does not guarantee you employment in your preferred profession or any other profession.

If you are planning to live and work in Canada, gathering information about living and working in Canada will help you prepare for employment in your chosen profession. The Foreign Credential Referral Office created a workbook specifically for this purpose.

Planning to work in Canada? An essential workbook for newcomers was created by FCRO for internationally trained individuals who are considering moving to Canada. It will help you learn how to put your skills, education and experience to work. The workbook is composed of 5 sections:

1. Living in Canada

The more you learn about Canada, the faster you will be able to adapt to the Canadian work environment. Taking the time to ask questions, to read and research, to watch videos on the Web or elsewhere, can all greatly help your transition from new immigrant to an established and comfortable member of Canadian society. This section is designed to help you learn more about life in Canada, and to guide you in taking a few essential steps as an immigrant.

2. Canada's Official Languages

Language skills are extremely important to your professional future in Canada. This section will help you learn more about Canada’s two official languages – English and French – as well as assess your language skills and identify opportunities for language training.

3. Finding a job in Canada

This section is designed to help you understand all you need to do to obtain work in Canada. It provides you with a series of essential steps that will help you learn how to find and get a job in your preferred profession. This process will take time, but completing each task below as thoroughly as possible will give you and your family members the best possible chance to succeed professionally in Canada.

4. Work Related Documents

This section of the workbook is designed to help you identify and locate documents that may be of importance to you in Canada before you come to Canada. It will also help you to assess the value, in Canada, of documents in your chosen field.

5. Education Academic Credentials

Education is an asset when searching for work in Canada, but your education may not automatically be recognized in Canada. Demonstrating your education and academic credentials is, therefore, important. Understanding educational equivalencies between your country of origin and Canada will also help you to understand the kinds of jobs you will be likely to obtain in Canada.

For more information about Foreign Credentials Referral Office, visit the official website at http://www.credentials.gc.ca.

For individuals who are working in regulated professions(Occupations that needs a license to be able to practice). You can have your credentials assessed even before you leave Canada, so that you may determine if your credentials is already sufficient to allow you to take the licensure examination in Canada.

The assessment may cost you money.

To find out which Canadian Government Agency is responsible in assessing your credentials you may visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada.

Alliance Members:

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
http://www.employment.alberta.ca/cps/rde/xchg/hre/hs.xsl/4512.html

British Columbia
International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES)
http://www.bcit.ca/ices/

Manitoba
Academic Credentials Assessment Service (ACAS)
http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/browse/work_in_manitoba/work-recognition-acas.html

Ontario
World Education Services-Canada (WES)
http://www.wes.org/ca/

Quebec
Centre d'expertise sur les formations acquises hors du Québec (CEFAHQ)
http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/education/comparative-evaluation/

Other provinces and territories
For credential evaluation services in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut or Yukon, you can contact any of the services listed above.