SITI Program Overview and Details
- LEF Supports for Internationally Trained Individuals (SITI), including Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) and access to Loans of up to $15k
- DUCA Credit Union acts as the financial institution partner and provides Loans to participants of the program for FCR activities.
- Assist ITIs with foreign credential assessment for internationally trained professionals to learn the necessary steps to be able to re-enter their career or a close alternative in Canada
- Support with reviewing credentials, career action plans and finding employment in their professional field
- Provide participants with provincial licensure information and application submission assistance
- Personalized work plans for clients seeking licensure in Ontario
- Support for internationally trained tradespersons to apply for a Trade Equivalency Assessment (TEA)
- Facilitating document translation, assessment, evaluation and notarization
- Technical language support
- Relevant labour market information
- Information and assistance with the certification processes of related occupations
- Computer terminals, Internet access and exam preparation resources (On hold due to the Pandemic)
- Facilitating connections between employers and internationally trained individuals
- Referrals to community partners for training and upgrading opportunities (Bridge Training Program, Colleges and Universities )
- All services are provided to Internationally Trained Individuals (ITI) via telephone, webinar, video conference or site visit
Download Workforce Integration Program Flyer
Definitions
- FCR – Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) refers to the process and activities required to have credentials obtained in a country other than Canada, recognized as a Canadian equivalent.
- Credentials – Any academic qualifications and/or professional designations held by an ITI in a country other than Canada
- ITI – Internationally Trained Individual (ITI) refers to the individuals participating in the SITI project, who have obtained professional qualifications in a country other than Canada and are seeking to have them recognized in Canada.
- Loan Program – Refers to an element of the SITI project, where DUCA provide loans to qualified ITI’s to pursue FCR activities.
LEF’s key activities related to this project:
- Refer ITIs to the Loan program based on a personalized assessment of FCR needs, including providing financial health and employment coaching; and
- Provide support services for participants undertaking FCR process and/or related alternative career or training activities.
Eligible Careers
Examples include pharmacists, audiologists and speech language pathologists, midwives, geoscientists, psychologists, lawyers; carpenters, welders, electricians, heavy duty equipment technicians, heavy equipment operators, dentists, engineering technicians, licensed practical nurses, medical radiation technologists, physicians, teachers (K-12), architects, engineers, financial auditors and accountants, medical laboratory technologists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, registered nurses, and the list goes on…
Support Services
- Assist ITIs with foreign credential assessment
- Assist clients in the creation of their career action plans that support finding the employment in their professional field.
- Assist researching the necessary steps to be able to re-enter ITI career or an alternative according to clients’ needs, interest and skills.
- Review clients’ credentials to support make your career action plan Help you to find the employment in your professional field
- Support clients’ career or training exploration in a related or alternative field while working towards getting their current credentials recognized.
- Provide referrals as appropriate.
Loan Component
- up to $15,000 for career-related expenses (See below)
- Courses and exams
- Books and other course materials
- Qualification assessments
- Association fees
- Professional certifications
- Accreditation costs
- Bridge training
- Living allowance and other associated costs
Loan Component
- Terms
- Affordable interest rate (Prime + 2%)
- Up to four (4) years to repay the loan
- Loans are disbursed through a reputable financial institution DUCA Credit Union Ltd.
- Loans have the potential to establish or improve clients’ credit
Credit Eligibility Criteria
Loan applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Be a Permanent Resident, Canadian Citizen or an individual granted refugee status in Canada;
- Has obtained Credentials outside of Canada;
- Is seeking to have his or her credentials recognized in Canada or is undertaking training for an Alternative Career or both;
- Credentials obtained must be from an approved list of recognized and vetted educational institutions and/or professional governing bodies;
- Be a resident of the province of Ontario and intending to work in Ontario post completion
- Not have an undischarged bankruptcy
- Have available cash flow to meet the interest only payment during the training phase
- Has completed an assessment with LEF and has a clear and viable career plan.
- Demonstrates financial need;
- Loans may be for assessment activities, and training may not be required. Sometimes people will be able to work in their profession, after completing only an assessment, therefore they will not be enrolled in a program, and will not be able to provide proof of enrolment.
SITI-FCR Contact: newcomers@lefca.org – 416 769 0830