Ontario’s government is introducing legislation prohibiting employers from requiring applicants to have Canadian work experience to apply for jobs. According to Ontario officials, the legislation would enable more immigrants to work in fields in which they have been trained.
The new legislation would allow foreign-trained workers to compete for Ontario jobs if approved. The proposed law follows legislation banning Canadian work experience requirements for licensing for over 30 occupations, which went into effect in December 2023.
Supporters say the proposed law would create a more competitive and productive Ontario by allowing immigrants to compete fairly for jobs to help build Canada’s economy.
“For far too long, too many people arriving in Canada have been funneled toward dead-end jobs they’re overqualified for. We need to ensure these people can have rewarding careers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
Ontario is working to keep educated and talented immigrants who can contribute to the province’s economy and serve in fields where they’re needed. There are currently programs in place to do so.
In 2024, Ontario will nominate 16,500 immigrants for permanent residence through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The immigrants work in various sectors, including health care and the skilled trades.
Ontario also wants to revise eligibility requirements for one-year college graduate certificate programs around the province to increase the number of international students able to apply to the OINP. The Province recently told the federal government that Ontario should have much more say in choosing the immigrants coming to the province.
“Ontario is a global leader in welcoming people from an array of backgrounds, cultures, and faiths,” said Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Michael Ford. “By banning Canadian work experience requirements in job postings, Ontario is making it easier for internationally trained immigrants to find meaningful work and contribute.”
The proposed legislation also includes revising the process of vetting internationally educated job applicants. The law would change how regulated professions like accountants, architects, and geoscientists use third-party groups to assess international qualifications to ensure they’re fair, fast, and transparent.
According to the provincial government, more immigrants come to Ontario annually than to any other Canadian province. Steering them into the right professions—where they can help the profession and earn a decent wage—would benefit not only them but also the local economy.
Helping internationally trained immigrants to work in the professions they studied could increase Ontario’s GDP by up to $100 billion over five years, the Province said in a press release. However, it did not cite any specific research detailing the origin of that figure.
Ontario’s new legislative proposal would build on other efforts to increase workers’ paychecks, including the Working for Workers Acts of 2021, 2022, and 2023.