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Government of Canada announces additional support for internationally trained professionals in Alberta

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Backgrounder

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)

• Western Economic Diversification Canada works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to stimulate and diversify Western Canada’s economy, as well as to represent the interests of the West in national economic policy.
• WD is announcing an investment of $120,000 to support the establishment of the Immigrant Access Fund (IAF) in Edmonton. The funding builds on WD’s previous investment of $400,000 announced in December 2006, bringing total funding to $520,000. WD funding will assist the IAF with its operational expenses.
• WD’s investment, made through its Western Diversification Program (WDP), supports the department’s priority on facilitating innovation, promoting a competitive and expanded business sector, and fostering community economic development.
• The underlying objective of the WDP is to create a stronger West and a stronger Canada. Several guiding principles are used to help assess how initiatives contribute to this objective, including:
  • increased economic activity that improves the viability, prosperity, and standard of living for individuals and communities across Western Canada.
  • increased economic research in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and community economic development to provide a sound base for economic diversification in areas of importance to Western Canada.
• Other elements that are considered when determining the relative merit of proposals include: the measurable impact on the western Canadian economy, viability and sustainability, long-term benefits, and the participation of other stakeholders.

Immigrant Access Fund (IAF)

• The Immigrant Access Fund (IAF) was founded in January 2005 in Calgary to address the needs of internationally trained immigrants in successfully integrating into the economy.
• The IAF provides loans of up to $5,000, repayable within four years, for the accreditation, training and upgrading of internationally trained immigrants who have worked in a profession or trade in another country and lack access to other financial resources.
• In Edmonton, the IAF works in partnership with the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers to administer the loan fund.
• Funds required to support the loans are solicited from private sector businesses and individuals.
• IAF loans are available to internationally trained immigrants who:
  • are legal resident of Canada living in Alberta;
  • lack access to other suitable / affordable financial resources;
  • have an appropriate level of working English;
  • have a reasonable opportunity for employment once they have; completed their accreditation / certification program plan.
• The loan may be used for the following purposes:
  • tuition fees with a recognized post-secondary organization;
  • exam fees with a professional governing association;
  • travel expense to sit an exam;
  • qualification assessments;
  • professional association fees;
  • books and course materials;
  • living allowance during study time;
  • other related expenses that will help participants complete their accreditation, training or upgrading program.

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