Enhanced Language Training

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Enhanced Language Training

One of the major components of our Internationally Trained Workers Initiative deals with the barrier that a lack of technical language and workplace communication skills creates for some internationally trained workers.

In 2003–2004, the Government of Canada announced funding for the Enhanced Language Training (ELT) initiative. ELT provides higher levels of language training, including job-specific language training, to help immigrants and refugees find and keep work commensurate with their experience and skills.

While most newcomers destined for the Canadian labour force have adequate conversational language skills when they arrive, many employers report gaps in recent immigrants’ language skills and vocabulary in the workplace.

Through ELT, $20 million goes toward providing higher levels of language training to up to 20,000 immigrants a year seeking to join the labour force. This is in addition to the approximately $140 million the Government of Canada currently spends each year on basic language training to help about 50,000 adult immigrants, outside Quebec, integrate into Canadian society.

Research has shown that language proficiency is a determining factor in how quickly immigrants integrate into the labour market. Current training provides immigrants with the language skills required for social interaction and employment in service and industrial contexts where advanced language skills may not be required.

The ELT initiative provides higher levels of language skills that help immigrants obtain and remain in jobs for which many of them have the training and experience.

ELT projects are funded through contribution agreements with stakeholders, including provinces and territories, non-governmental organizations, employers, educational institutions and community agencies serving immigrants.

ELT projects that are undertaken with our stakeholders and partners must include a costsharing plan by which they will contribute at least half the costs in the form of funds and in-kind contributions such as services, tools or facilities. Service delivery projects must also include a bridgeto- work component, such as access to internships; temporary or permanent work placement opportunities; mentorship services to enable skilled immigrants to meet peers and begin developing a network in their chosen field of employment; or help with professional licensure and job search.

Permanent residents, accepted refugees and individuals granted temporary resident permits to Canada are eligible for training under this initiative.

In 2003–2004, CIC entered into cost-sharing agreements with partners to fund 43 projects with colleges, universities and non-governmental organizations. The projects will help immigrants acquire language skills needed to pursue careers in fields such as nursing, engineering, medical technology, customer service, managing a small business or becoming an entrepreneur.

To date, in 2004–2005, CIC has directly funded approximately 23 ELT projects across Canada. In addition, there are a number of other projects being administered through ELT agreements with the provinces of Ontario, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia.

The ELT initiative is an important component of the Government of Canada’s efforts to attract highly skilled workers and ensure the successful integration of immigrants into the economy and communities. Other measures include working with regulatory bodies and sector councils to facilitate the development of effective processes for the recognition of foreign credentials and prior work experience, and the development of an immigration portal, in collaboration with provinces and territories, which will provide better information to immigrants before they come to Canada.