Canada announces new funding for occupation-specific language training and employability assistance

Designed specifically for internationally trained professionals, job-specific language training is becoming increasingly common in Canada. This type of customized training not only increases the communication skills of newcomers but also provides better access to professional accreditation and opens doors to the job market.

To promote these objectives, federal government of Canada frequently invests in these training programs and services, under its Enhanced Language Training program (ELT), which are designed and delivered through community and professional associations.

a most recent investment of this kind has been provided to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA). A funding of more than $58,000 will enable TRCA to provide enhanced language training to 40 environmental engineers in Toronto who were trained abroad.

The training will be delivered as part of the Professional Access and Integration Enhancement Program, a joint initiative of the TRCA and several other community and professional associations. Engineers who participate in this program are also offered a 12-month fulltime job placement with a host organization in the environmental engineering field.

Under the same agreement between Ontario and Canada, a funding of $639,969 was provided to Halton Multicultural Council for conducting a 17-week Enhanced Language Training Community Policing program. The program, that delivered occupation-specific language and employbility assistance to participants, was fully supported by the Halton Regional Police Service and the department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). At least seven participants were newcomer to Canada with a background in law enforcement and security.

Few weeks earlier, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, and Yukon College received over $5.5 million and $129,000 respectively to deliver job-specific language training to help prepare newcomers for jobs in Canada that match their skills and qualifications.