Advisories & News
Press Release
PCG TORONTO CONDUCTS POST-ARRIVAL ORIENTATION SEMINAR ON CREDENTIALS RECOGNITION AND SETTLEMENT SERVICES
2021-12-03
PR-2021-70
29 November 2021, Toronto, Ontario –The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, in cooperation with the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) Toronto, organized and conducted a Post-Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) on Credentials Recognition and Settlement Services today, 26 November 2021 at 6:00 pm (Toronto/Ottawa time) via Zoom.
The PAOS was organized for Filipino nurses and other health workers based in Ontario to learn about the processes involved in planning their healthcare career, particularly in having their credentials and experience recognized by the Canadian Government, and the services available in Canada to provide support for this undertaking. It is also in line with the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and Consulates General in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary’s project on the accreditation of credentials of Filipino Canadian professionals in Canada, as well as with PCG Toronto’s Gender and Development campaign.
Philippine Ambassador to Canada H.E. Ambassador Rodolfo D. Robles was the Guest of Honor and was introduced by Consul General Orontes V. Castro. In his Welcome Remarks Ambassador Robles emphasized the importance of the PAOS in providing the needed information to Filipino professionals in Canada to help them settle in their second home and realize their full potential in their chosen field. He also highlighted the important contribution of Filipino professionals in Canada both in the development of Canada and the Philippines.
The resource persons for the program included Atty. Maria Deanna P. Santos, PhD, Barrister & Solicitor, and Notary Public at the Santos Law Office; Ms. Maria Concepcion (Connie) Manzo, Accreditation Facilitator with the Accreditation and Qualifications Information Services (AQIS) of the Welcome Centre Immigrant Services-York Region; and Mr. Rodolfo Lastimosa, Jr., a Registered Practical Nurse (Respirology and Gastroenterology Units) at the Humber River Hospital in Toronto and an elected Council Member for Central Toronto District of the College of Nurses of Ontario.
The topics discussed included the following: present policies and procedures on credentials recognition in Canada, present immigration policies of Canada that impact on credentials recognition, challenges to credential recognition for Filipino professionals, and available support programs from the federal and provincial governments of Canada to enable internationally trained nurses to have their credential recognized and work in the nursing field in Canada. Aside from credentials recognition, available settlement services, in terms of housing, childcare and other social assistance programs to help newly arrived workers/migrants were also discussed.
An Open Forum moderated by Ms. Catherine Dimalanta of POLO Toronto followed after the lectures of the three speakers.
The webinar was formally closed by Consul General Castro who thanked Ambassador Robles for spearheading the Credentials Recognition project, as well as everyone who attended the online event. He also thanked and presented Certificates of Appreciation to the resource speakers for the very informative and inspiring presentations.
The virtual PAOS was attended by around sixty-three (63) overseas Filipinos in Canada, not just from the health sector but also from other professions as well. – END
