The challenges for internationally educated health professionals in the integration and credentialling process include the time and personal resources needed to meet the demands. Quite often, internationally educated health professionals are older than our domestic graduates, and many times they have resource shortages and more responsibilities. The challenge of working and upgrading at the same time can lead to some challenges, with the internationally educated holding survival jobs.
Accessibility and availability of information and supports are necessary for people to understand what courses are available and where they might find colleagues. And relevant work experience is always important. When support and information is available through bridging programs, often an internationally educated health professional might not be aware that a program exists.
There's general consensus among HEAL members that the following supports, which Michael and Charles referred to already, would assist in the assessment and integration component: language training; mentorship; peer support networks; quicker credentialling assessments; preparation for licensure exams; and bridging programs, which in many cases can solve all of these issues.
Many of the barriers have begun to be addressed on a profession by profession basis, and many of the HEAL members have received contribution agreements and grants under HRSDC's FQR programs.
We know from the research we have conducted that bridging programs are a great solution for the internationally educated. Some professions already have these programs in place. They operate on different funding models. Some are fee for service, whereby the tuition is paid by the individual. Some are integrated into the full-time education system, whereby they're eligible for financial support or grants. Others sometimes have low- or no-cost alternatives and can often be subsidized by a return-to-service agreement. We know that the most cost-effective process is to add bridging programs to already existing education programs rather than to create stand-alone programs, because they already have the faculty, curriculum, and equipment.
There are significant challenges finding clinical placements or internships, as Michael mentioned, for the internationally educated. This challenge is not simply for the internationally educated. Our domestic students also face it. The biggest challenge we have is trying to figure out how to add this additional training responsibility to an overburdened health care system and how to compensate the individual and the facility they're training at.
Funding individual internationally educated health professionals through programs such as the Canada student grants program would give them access to bridging programs and would, in turn, help them contribute significantly to the sustainability of these programs.
We understand that a federal loan program for IEHPs has been proposed, and we encourage the government to proceed with this initiative.
Bridging programs solve many of the challenges internationally educated health professionals face and they allow them to integrate into the workforce in their chosen professions much faster. Earlier entrance into the workforce at a high-skill capacity is of financial benefit to the government, as taxation rates are higher with higher wages. Everyone benefits from earlier integration.
We thank HRSDC and the government for their interest and action in the assessment and integration of immigrants to Canada. Investment must continue to be made in this area, as the financial burden for the internationally educated professional, the associations, and the regulators would be insurmountable were it not for the commitment of the Government of Canada.
We thank you for your time today, and we'd be happy to take questions later.