http://www.getintheknow.ca/best-practices

Award Winning Cultural Diversity Practices

The country's most culturally diverse companies know that success depends on innovative but simple initiatives. We've reviewed the best practices of local and national cultural diversity award winners to create a list of examples that your organization might adopt. Winners of these awards included small, medium and large sized companies. To ease review, the practices and activities have been organized into categories. Consider the potential of immigrants with international credentials. Learn the most effective ways to hire and retain newcomers. Help boost workplace loyalty and productivity by adopt a few of these practices and activities.

Provide Work Experience Opportunities for Internationally Trained ProfessionalsTop

• Works with non-profit organizations to help new Canadians gain work experience through paid internship opportunities (Procter & Gamble Inc., Rogers and Enbridge Inc.)
• Provides work placement and internship opportunities to members of new Canadians (Saskatchewan Government Insurance)
• Offers work placement opportunities to new Canadians through partnerships with community organizations such as YWCA, and hosts employment information sessions in partnership with MOSAIC and Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (Shaw)
• Participates in a co-op placement program to provide new Canadians with an opportunity to gain work experience (Sodexo Canada Ltd.)
• Provides the opportunity for a first job in Canada. For example, the Board has more than 150 part-time instructors in the International Languages program at 11 locations (Ottawa Catholic School Board)

Recognize International Work Experience and Foreign Credentials Top

• Hires internationally trained professionals in positions commensurate with their home country education and experience (Business Development Bank of Canada and Providence Health Care)
• Does not require Canadian experience or credentials in the hiring and selection process (Pythian)
• Recognizes foreign credentials and experience and has them evaluated by World Evaluation Services (WES), a third-party credential assessor (MDS Nordion Inc. and Humber College)
• Developed an in-house guide to foreign credential evaluation process, and utilizes World Education Services, a third-party credential assessment service, to determine the qualifications of internationally trained professionals (Regional Municipality of York)

---

Support Immigrant Employees to Obtain Professional Licensure Top

• Partners with post-secondary institutions to help internationally educated professionals become accredited in Canada, and provide work placement opportunities for newcomers (CIBC, ERCB, Manitoba Hydro, McCarthy Tétrault LLP and WorleyParsons Canada Services Ltd.)
• Recognizes provisional membership to regulatory bodies such as the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) and supports new Canadian employees through the membership process  (BC Hydro)
• In partnership with the Chinese Professionals Association of Canada (CPAC), hosted an information fair that consisted of workshops, seminars and information booths on topics such as how to help new Canadians return to their profession, the Canadian labour market, and job opportunities at the bank (RBC)
• Allows employees who are new to Canada to attend school during business hours to ensure they receive professional accreditation (New Flyer Industries Canada)
• Provides internationally educated applicants with information on having foreign credentials recognized by third-party credential assessment services (Providence Health Care)
• Supports hires who are new to Canada by providing assistance with the registration and licensing process for professional associations and offering relocation consulting, which includes finding schools for children of employees (Provincial Health Services Authority)
• Once hired, skilled immigrants in financial positions can take advantage of free training programs to help them gain required certifications or licenses. Tuition assistance is also provided for employees who want to upgrade their knowledge and skills through work-related courses(TD Bank)