General surgeon, Vitaliaa Atamaniuk, hailing from Ukraine, escaped the turmoil of war a year ago, seeking refuge and a fresh start. With a burning desire to serve as a physician in the scenic Vancouver Island, she finds the path to her dream strewn with thorny obstacles.
Obtaining the required licenses here is an arduous and time-consuming task,” voiced Atamaniuk with a sigh of frustration, “We are expected to pass another round of examinations and secure a residency here.”
Atamaniuk stands among a swarm of around 387,000 prospective new entrants poised to infuse life into B.C.’s workforce in the forthcoming decade. These newcomers are expected to fill a substantial 38% of the anticipated million vacant roles in an area already grappling with a sizable labor gap.
Atamaniuk’s vexation echoed in the shared sentiments of other globally trained professionals at a town hall gathering with Premier David Eby, expressing similar grievances.
In response to these concerns, the province affirmed its proposition to initiate the enforcement of simplified regulations starting this month. These rules aim to streamline the recognition process for foreign-trained professionals in B.C.
The focus of the plan is not limited to healthcare jobs, but it encompasses a variety of sectors including teaching and social work. This initiative targets an extensive list – 235 professions supervised by 50 regulatory bodies across the province.
Premier Eby emphasized the significance of welcoming and treating these professionals appropriately, saying: “We have to acknowledge and honor the skills and contributions they bring to our community.”
The complicated credentialing system has been the prime target of ire among international professionals, with a staggering 85% finding the application and licensing procedure overly complex.
This concern is precisely what the province intends to tackle next.
Echoing the same sentiment, Andrew Mercier, the parliamentary secretary for skills training, emphasized: “We must ensure people like you are heard and understood in this process. We need to reevaluate the barriers in place — the testing procedures — to ensure they are necessary.”
Hence, the new legislation is poised to simplify the credentialing process, saving precious time and effort, aligning with the province’s strategic plan combating labor shortages. The impending wave of immigrants boasts a wealth of foreign expertise that the province desperately needs to thrive.
