I have been Fairness Commissioner for four years now. During that time, my staff and I have mobilized support for fairer registration across Canada, created collegial relationships with regulators and gathered relevant data.
Now, in this spring of 2011, we are shifting to a focus on continuous improvement in licensing.
Ontario regulators have done good work so far. They have achieved solid progress in making their licensing fairer. More needs to be done.
That’s why we developed a plan to assess their registration practices and promote long-term improvement.
My shift of emphasis does not indicate a change in the law. Nothing has changed there. The regulators’ obligation is to offer transparent, objective, impartial and fair registration. And one of my key functions is to assess their registration practices.
Elsewhere on this site you may read about our strategy and see the guides that OFC staff will use to conduct the assessments. The guides translate the principles of the fair access law into actions.
Faster, fairer licensing in the professions makes it possible for more highly educated people to work at their full potential in their fields, and it’s good for the economy.
I would like to thank the regulators and the qualifications assessors who helped us prepare the guides. They worked with us in a spirit of openness and collaboration.
Hon. Jean Augustine, PC, CM
Fairness Commissioner
April 2011
Commissioner's Message: March 30, 2010
[ Video ]
Video Transcripts
The Commissioner's Comments about Clearing the Path to Licensing
We're in a situation where people are moving around the world, and they are bringing with them skills and talents and abilities. We - as Canada, if you look at our history - we've always benefited from immigration and immigrants bringing their talents and their skills. And I'm sure we can sit here and name any number of individuals who have joined us in this country, bringing skills and talents that we're very proud to display right now.
So it's important for us to recognize that as we do the welcoming, we have to make sure that those individuals can meet their own personal goals. They were trained, they were experienced, [and] they had opportunities where they were. They're bringing all of this to us, and it's [to] the benefit of Canadians. I think the issue of brain gain is one that we need to consider very seriously.
In our province there are too many individuals who are underemployed, who are unemployed, [and] who are seeking employment and cannot find it in their field of endeavour. Too many of those individuals are there. When the system fails it is disastrous-disastrous to the individuals, disastrous to all those who are in the ambit of the individuals and disastrous for society itself.
The Commissioner's Recommendations
In terms of where we want to go with the recommendations that we have heard, number one, we want to speak to the regulatory bodies about the ways in which they could speed up some of the processes to fully acknowledge what happens-the impact actually- that slow decisions, indecisions, too many hoops to jump, too many barriers in the way, how that affects in a personal way the life and the lives of individuals. We want also to speak to the federal government-[make] recommendations to the federal government-as to the information that could be given to someone as they apply offshore, as they apply in their country of origin to come to Canada to be a professional. We feel that there is information that is missing, [that] the individual needs to know once one lands in Canada: you are now in a provincial jurisdiction and that the province and the provincial jurisdiction or territorial jurisdiction-that's where the rules are regarding your licensing, regarding your certification.
The Commissioner's Advice to Applicants
Well, the recommendation that, and I think all of us need to make to professionals before coming to Canada, really is to say to them: do your homework. Start the process as early as you possibly can. Ask as many questions as you can. Find individuals who are already in Canada practising. And find out what some of the processes are. It's important that one comes prepared for the regulatory bodies' registration, to know what is required in that whole registration process. I think if you speak to as many professionals as you possibly can, they will all say to you-those who have succeeded as well as those who have failed in terms of getting into their profession-they are not expecting to walk off the boat or walk off the aircraft straight into their profession. We know in order to put your shingle up you have to go through a process. And I think they are quite prepared to do this. But I think it's so important for them to have information, for them to know exactly what the requirements are and to have an answer given to them in a timely fashion, so that they can make major decisions about either bringing their families, coming themselves or knowing what the financial drain will be when they arrive in the province.
Commissioner's Message: January 21, 2010
I am pleased that regulatory bodies are making steady progress in creating fairer, faster licensing in their professions. For example...
- The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario worked on a national process to streamline the assessment of internationally trained general dentists. In spring, dentists trained outside Canada have two routes - not just one - to get their licences.
- The College of Chiropractors of Ontario uses a national board to run exams for internationally trained chiropractors. In November, 2009, in response to our Study of Qualifications Assessment Agencies, the Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board decided to exempt some candidates with more than three years of work experience from the exam about chiropractic knowledge. It has also rescheduled exams to make them more convenient.
- The College of Dietitians of Ontario is consulting about changes to its registration regulation. It is proposing four new 'classes' of certificate, including one to allow applicants to practice in areas of demonstrated competence while completing further training. It is also looking into ways to better acknowledge dietitians' previous education and work experience.
- The College of Medical Radiation Technologists of Ontario, like most regulatory bodies, requires competence in English or French. The College studied its requirements and changed them to make it easier for aspiring radiation technologists to meet the standard.
- In 2008, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario proposed new 'pathways' into the medical profession for doctors trained overseas. They have shortened the process for doctors from other provinces, the U.S. and eight 'approved' jurisdictions and are proposing individual assessments for doctors trained in other countries. The pathways are a good first step.
For further information about these initiatives, please contact the regulatory bodies directly.
Commissioner's Message: September 16, 2009
Ontario's fair access law is already making a difference. I see signs of change that will improve access to the regulated professions.
With our leadership, regulators are taking action by modernizing programs, revisiting requirements and rewriting regulations about licensing. For example...
- The College of Pharmacy will allow its bridging programs to offer a more individualized approach to applicants than before.
- The Law Society no longer makes internationally trained lawyers go through a mandatory articling period.
- The College of Teachers no longer requires teachers educated outside Canada to teach in Ontario for one year before they get permanent teaching certificates.
You may wish to read about the changes proposed by some of Ontario's regulatory bodies in our recent annual report for the year 2008-2009 (
PDF 2.5MB). See the section 'Report by Ministry'.
Commissioner's Message: May 7, 2009
Share Your Experience
If you have applied for your professional licence in Ontario, I’d like to hear from you.
My name is Jean Augustine, and I’m the Fairness Commissioner here in Ontario.
My office is doing a survey to gather first-hand information from you. Whether you were educated here, in another province, or in another country, if you have applied to receive your licensed professional status as a teacher, a nurse, a doctor, an engineer or any other regulated professional, we want to hear from you.
You’ll find a link to our online survey at fairnesscommissioner.ca. Your answers are completely confidential. Please share your experience with us.
Thank-you.
Online Survey of Applicants to the Professions
Hello, my name is Jean Augustine. I’m the Fairness Commissioner for the province of Ontario.
My job is to make sure that people are treated fairly when applying for their licensed professional status in various regulated professions in Ontario such as law, dentistry, accounting, pharmacy, social work and many more.
My office has recently launched an on-line survey about applicants’ experiences. We want to know what it’s like to become licensed in one of the regulated professions.
Participation in this survey is very important. My colleagues and I have lots of information from regulatory bodies, universities and colleges, and other organizations. But we’re missing the applicant’s story.
Everyone has heard anecdotes about engineers driving cabs, doctors delivering pizza and other well-educated people who are under-employed. This survey will help us get reliable information and give us solid research.
A survey like this has never been done before. You can find it at fairnesscommissioner.ca.
I encourage people to get involved, whether they are applying for their licences or already have them… whether they were trained in Canada or in another country.
Again, you’ll find a link to our survey at fairnesscommissioner.ca.
Thank-you.
