Ontario is spending up to $60 million to provide free language courses for all new immigrants.
The courses are available to all newcomers, regardless of how long they have been in the province.
The aim is to quickly integrate new immigrants into Ontario life by helping them get jobs or enter the education system.
Ontario’s Adult Non-Credit Language Training Program provides courses for up to 70,000 immigrants each year. In this year ending August, more than 2,000 Syrian refugees have enrolled in courses.
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Language Ability In Canada Immigration Applications
There are 4,000 different courses available to teach both English and French at 325 locations across the province.
Immigrants are initially assessed to determine their language skill, before being assigned to the right course.
“Strong language skills help immigrants succeed,” said Laura Albanese, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in the province.
“In Ontario, we open our English and French as a second language courses to all immigrants no matter how long they have lived here.
“We want immigrants to reach their potential and this investment strengthens their ability to get meaningful jobs, advance their careers or pursue higher education.”
Meanwhile, Ontario recently announced a $3.35 million investment in its provincial Bridge Training Program, designed to assist newcomers in navigating the employment market.
Often immigrants report having to do lower-paid `fill-in` jobs – for months and sometimes years – when they first arrive in Canada.
The Ontario Bridge Training Program (OBTP) is trying to change this, by bringing together immigrants and employers and highlighting transferable skills and qualifications.
Under the Express Entry system, candidates can subject their foreign-obtained qualifications to an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), which gives an indication of the level attained in Canadian terms.
The ECA works in support of an immigration application, but does not mean individual employers will recognize qualifications in the same way. OBTP attempts to navigate this divide.
Aims of the Ontario Bridge Training Program
- Improve access to job finding services by, for example, career mentoring, employment events, language skills-training and a micro-loan program.
- Help employers recruit, hire and retain internationally trained immigrants, with networking events, an online recruiting service and employer workshops.
- Identify newcomers’ transferrable skills and alternate career pathways through, for example, mentoring events and the promotion of entrepreneurship.
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
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