Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

Removing Barriers for Internationally Trained Professionals in British Columbia

The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills partnered with Berlineaton, a leader in public sector consulting, to conduct an in-depth public engagement initiative focused on improving the credential recognition process for internationally trained professionals in British Columbia. Over 12 weeks, Berlineaton facilitated twelve virtual roundtables with a broad range of stakeholders—including regulatory bodies, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, immigrant-serving groups, and members of the public. The goal was to uncover systemic barriers, identify opportunities, and co-create practical solutions. Insights gathered were compiled into a comprehensive “What We Heard” report, which played a pivotal role in the creation of the International Credentials Recognition Act, introduced in Fall 2023.

Key Team Members
Cathryn Chase
Mackenzie Farrell

A Profound Experience

British Columbia is anticipating over one million job openings in the next decade. Due to labour shortages, many of these roles will need to be filled by skilled professionals trained outside of Canada. Yet, these individuals often face complex barriers to credential recognition, preventing them from contributing to their fields. Recognizing the urgency, the Minister of State for Workforce Development, in partnership with the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, committed to legislative action.

To guide this process, Berlineaton was brought on to lead province-wide public consultations on international credential recognition. Our objective was to gather input from those directly affected and develop recommendations to inform new legislation aimed at reducing unnecessary delays and improving workforce integration for newcomers.

Practical Solutions

In Spring 2023, Berlineaton designed and facilitated 12 virtual consultation sessions with key groups, including:

  • Regulatory authorities
  • Employers and business associations
  • Internationally trained professionals
  • Professional bodies and accreditation organizations
  • Post-secondary institutions
  • Immigrant and refugee-serving organizations

These stakeholder roundtables focused on identifying pain points in the credentialing process and discussing actionable solutions. Feedback was complemented by a province-wide public survey, further enriching the data.

Berlineaton then synthesized this input into a detailed “What We Heard” report, highlighting key themes and outlining recommended strategies to streamline credential recognition in BC.

Bolder Futures

Our engagement process reached over 125 individuals through roundtables and more than 1,450 participants through the public survey. These insights provided the foundation for drafting the International Credentials Recognition Act, which was successfully passed in November 2023.

This legislation is a critical step toward solving British Columbia’s labour shortages by:

  • Removing systemic barriers for internationally trained professionals
  • Improving transparency and timelines in the credentialing process
  • Maintaining high standards for public safety and professional quality

The outcome is a win for both economic growth and inclusive workforce development.

[Download the full “What We Heard” report here]

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    Cathryn Chase

    BA, MMgmt, CMC
    Interpreter, Pathfinder, Wordsmith.

    Cathryn is a Senior Consultant with Berlineaton. She approaches all her work with curiosity, dedication and an analytical eye.

    As a Senior Consultant, Cathryn leads and supports projects across all of Berlineaton’s practice areas with a particular focus on public sector work. She is skilled at deriving insights from data, and helping clients translate complex information into usable and effective solutions. She loves applying her skills, experience, and penchant for problem solving to help empower her clients and create sustainable business solutions.

    Cathryn holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from UBC, as well as a Master’s of Management from UBC’s Sauder School of Business. She also has a Lean Six-Sigma Yellow Belt, and is working towards becoming a Certified Management Consultant.

    Outside the office, you can find her spending time with her partner, Sander and retired sled dog, Clyde, swimming with the Victoria Masters Swim Club, and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.

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    Mackenzie Farrell

    BSC, MMgmt, CMC
    Collaborator, Community Builder, Go-Getter.

    Mackenzie is an Engagement Lead and Independent School Practice Lead at Berlineaton. Known for her experience in strategy development and execution, she brings an innate sense of curiosity, meticulous attention to detail, and a strong interpersonal focus to all aspects of her work.

    Mackenzie specializes in working with independent schools, helping them to navigate unique challenges and build stronger, more sustainable institutions. She has worked with over 20 schools across Canada.

    With a deep-seated passion in helping organizations foster visionary futures for themselves, Mackenzie excels in guiding organizations through an engagement and people-centric approach on growth and improvement. Her strategic insights and commitment ensure that her clients achieve sustainable success.

    Outside of the office, she can be found taking advantage of all the world-class access to nature that the West Coast of Canada has to offer, including her favourite past times, skiing, surfing, and hiking with her husband and dog Molson.