Barriers Removed to Increase Labour Mobility
Department of Education (to March 26, 2013)
July 19, 2001 2:00 PM
It is getting easier for Nova Scotians and other Canadians
working in regulated occupations and trades to move between
provinces and to get jobs.
Federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working
with more than 400 regulatory bodies across the country. The goal
is to allow Canadians in regulated occupations to work in their
fields anywhere in the country. Architects, dentists,
optometrists, bakers and gas fitters are among the workers who
will benefit from the changes.
Those changes include recognition of workers' competence to do
the job regardless of where they were originally licensed or
certified. Residency requirements are also being removed, and
fees will not be any greater for incoming workers than they are
for workers who lived in the province when they were certified.
"We already know Nova Scotia is a great place to live and work,"
said Education Minister Jane Purves, who has provincial
responsibility for labour market issues and who represents Nova
Scotia on the national Forum of Labour Market Ministers. "Through
this initiative, we now have one more selling point to attract
skilled workers to the local industries that need them."
This forum is leading the labour mobility initiative that stems
from Canada's Agreement on Internal Trade, adopted in 1995. The
agreement's section on labour mobility aims to remove barriers
that prevent movement of workers from one jurisdiction to
another.
Under the 1995 agreement, the existing Interprovincial Standards
(Red Seal) Program will continue its role as the primary vehicle
for trades workers to have their qualifications recognized across
the country. Journeypersons who have not achieved Red Seal status
will have the opportunity to be assessed according to Nova
Scotia's standards and certified here.
Nationally, more than 75 per cent of the identified occupations
had either met or were close to meeting the terms of the
agreement by July 1.
In Nova Scotia, several government departments are directly
responsible for regulating some occupations and delegate the
responsibility to regulatory bodies for others.
Most identified trades in this province were already meeting the
terms of the agreement before the initiative began. Of the
province's other regulated occupations, 95 per cent have either
signed or are very close to signing mutual recognition agreements
with their counterparts across the country. Discussions to
resolve issues among the remaining trades and occupations
continue.
A full report on governments' progress on the initiative is
expected in the near future.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
Nova Scotians and other Canadians working in regulated
trades and occupations now face fewer barriers to getting jobs in
other provinces.
Federal, provincial and territorial governments signed a
national agreement in 1995 to reduce barriers to labour mobility.
They've been working with regulatory bodies to remove
residency requirements, recognize qualifications from other
jurisdictions and ensure that licensing fees are reasonable.
In Nova Scotia, regulatory bodies for 95 per cent of
occupations involved have either signed or are close to signing
agreements with their counterparts across the country.
The province's trades regulators have also made significant
progress.
- 30 -
Contact: Adèle Poirier
Department of Education
902-424-8307
E-mail: poiriea@gov.ns.ca
kjd July 19, 2001 11:24 A.M.
It is getting easier for Nova Scotians and other Canadians
working in regulated occupations and trades to move between
provinces and to get jobs.
Federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working
with more than 400 regulatory bodies across the country. The goal
is to allow Canadians in regulated occupations to work in their
fields anywhere in the country. Architects, dentists,
optometrists, bakers and gas fitters are among the workers who
will benefit from the changes.
Those changes include recognition of workers' competence to do
the job regardless of where they were originally licensed or
certified. Residency requirements are also being removed, and
fees will not be any greater for incoming workers than they are
for workers who lived in the province when they were certified.
"We already know Nova Scotia is a great place to live and work,"
said Education Minister Jane Purves, who has provincial
responsibility for labour market issues and who represents Nova
Scotia on the national Forum of Labour Market Ministers. "Through
this initiative, we now have one more selling point to attract
skilled workers to the local industries that need them."
This forum is leading the labour mobility initiative that stems
from Canada's Agreement on Internal Trade, adopted in 1995. The
agreement's section on labour mobility aims to remove barriers
that prevent movement of workers from one jurisdiction to
another.
Under the 1995 agreement, the existing Interprovincial Standards
(Red Seal) Program will continue its role as the primary vehicle
for trades workers to have their qualifications recognized across
the country. Journeypersons who have not achieved Red Seal status
will have the opportunity to be assessed according to Nova
Scotia's standards and certified here.
Nationally, more than 75 per cent of the identified occupations
had either met or were close to meeting the terms of the
agreement by July 1.
In Nova Scotia, several government departments are directly
responsible for regulating some occupations and delegate the
responsibility to regulatory bodies for others.
Most identified trades in this province were already meeting the
terms of the agreement before the initiative began. Of the
province's other regulated occupations, 95 per cent have either
signed or are very close to signing mutual recognition agreements
with their counterparts across the country. Discussions to
resolve issues among the remaining trades and occupations
continue.
A full report on governments' progress on the initiative is
expected in the near future.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
Nova Scotians and other Canadians working in regulated
trades and occupations now face fewer barriers to getting jobs in
other provinces.
Federal, provincial and territorial governments signed a
national agreement in 1995 to reduce barriers to labour mobility.
They've been working with regulatory bodies to remove
residency requirements, recognize qualifications from other
jurisdictions and ensure that licensing fees are reasonable.
In Nova Scotia, regulatory bodies for 95 per cent of
occupations involved have either signed or are close to signing
agreements with their counterparts across the country.
The province's trades regulators have also made significant
progress.
- 30 -
Contact: Adèle Poirier
Department of Education
902-424-8307
E-mail: poiriea@gov.ns.ca
kjd July 19, 2001 11:24 A.M.