Four National Women's Groups: CCLOW · CFWEC · CRIAW · NOIVMWC

4. Language Training, Accreditation and Immigration Policy

Many immigrant and refugee women are denied access to language training because of family pressures, or because the absence of childcare and other support services that make it financially and logistically impossible to attend. In some communities, there are also insufficient numbers of courses available. Even where women are able to access language training, there are questions about the quality and appropriateness of the courses - for example, women have complained of racist teachers. The Green Paper makes virtually no mention at all of language training, despite its enormous implications for the social and economic security of immigrant women.

Women with professional or technical credentials from overseas often have great difficulty getting accreditation in Canada for their expertise. The process of having one's credentials assessed is available only in very limited locations in Canada, and, because of the extensive demand, can take months or even years. Provincial jurisdiction in professional accreditation is also a barrier. It affects both immigrant women, and women whose formal education is in Canada but in another province from the one where they wish to work. Bridging programs are one useful measure to assist women to adapt their expertise to the Canadian situation.

It is interesting that the Green Paper promotes the education of more Canadians overseas, to establish familiarity and connections for international trade, while overlooking the fact that there are many immigrants already here that can do exactly that.

Finally, the implications of the new Immigration Policy must be closely examined for potential impact on the economic and social security of immigrants and refugees. One proposal which raises particular concerns is the requirement for more immigrants to have an English or French language capacity prior to coming to Canada. This excludes women from many countries of origin, or women unable to afford language training prior to arriving. To offset this, the government has proposed that Canadian embassies might provide language training overseas, but this proposal is seriously flawed. Many countries do not have an embassy, and even where there is one, many people live outside the city where the embassy is located. Furthermore, language training does not, and should not, fall within the mandate of embassies or of the Department of Foreign Affairs.