Province establishes foreign credential recognition committee

'By streamlining international qualification recognition, we can attract more skilled professionals'

BY Jim Wilson 08 Jul. 2024

Alberta is establishing a new advisory committee that will help improve the province’s foreign credential recognition system.

The provincial government has named the members of the committee who will provide recommendations to the provincial government to help them improve the current system of credential assessment and recognition.

“Alberta’s growth continues across all industries and shows no signs of slowing down,” said Muhammad Yaseen, minister of immigration and multiculturalism. “By streamlining international qualification recognition, we can attract more skilled professionals to Alberta and help them put their education and training to work faster.”

In March, Alberta pushed to have amplified control over its provincial immigration system, with a particular emphasis on bolstering the involvement of Ukrainian evacuees in the job market.

13-member committee

The 13-member committee is led by chair Dr. Misheck Mwaba, president and CEO of Bow Valley College.

“The Foreign Credential Advisory Committee is undertaking an important initiative to advance the recognition of foreign credentials, and foster collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders including employers, regulatory bodies and educational institutions,” said Mwaba. “I look forward to working with the committee and cultivating an inclusive approach to workforce development in Alberta.”

Other members of the committee are:

Shauna Feth, president and CEO, Alberta Chamber of Commerce
Glenys Reeves-Gibbs, executive director, Alberta Federation of Regulated Health Professionals
Kene Ilochonwu, senior legal counsel, Woodfibre LNG
Deidre Lake, executive director, Alberta International Medical Graduates Association
Cam Linke, CEO, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute
Dr. Megan Bergman, registrar and CEO, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association
Susan McGillivray, interim vice-president, people and health professions, Alberta Health Services
Rachel Miller, CEO, Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta
Jay Nagendran, registrar and CEO, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta
G. Nabi Chaudhary, retired manager/senior economist, Alberta Agriculture
Bruce Randall, retired executive director, Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council
Cinnamon Stacey, director research and assessment, National Nursing Assessment Service

The committee was created by private members Bill 203 or the Foreign Credentials Advisory Committee Act. The bill received royal assent on March 28 and came into force on June 28.

They will serve for a term at a maximum two years in length and will expire no later than March 28, 2026.

The committee’s recommendations will be summarized in a report to the minister of immigration and multiculturalism by June 28, 2025.

“The Alberta Advantage continues, and with it, we are welcoming new Albertans to our province every day. With many newcomers bringing highly valued skill sets across multiple sectors, by streamlining and making the credentialing process more efficient, we can continue to have the best and highest-quality workforce in the world,” said Nolan Dyck, MLA for Grande Prairie.

In January, the federal government announced it is providing $86 million to 15 organizations across Canada to increase the capacity for foreign credential recognition of internationally educated health professionals.