Mr. Speaker, our government's economic action plan includes a $50 million investment in foreign credentials recognition. This will build on the initiatives our government has already brought forward to help new Canadians including the 320 Service Canada centres across this great country.
Many newcomers who come to Canada quickly learn that their qualifications are not recognized in the province in which they settle, thus preventing them from contributing fully to our economic development.
Since the granting of credentials is regulated at the provincial level, our government is encouraged by the commitment of first ministers to work on a common framework to recognize foreign credentials by September of 2009.
With immigration accounting for a larger share of our labour market growth, it is important that the federal and provincial governments work together to ensure that foreign credentials are properly recognized.