| Programs and
Services for Immigrants
Assessment and Foreign Credential Recognition
Colleges and institutes offer assessment
and credential recognition services for placement into
English as a Second Language (ESL), English for Academic
Purposes (EAP), French as a Second Language (FSL) and
French for Academic Purposes (FAP) programs, as well as
for placement into career, technical, university preparation
and applied degree programs.
English and French Language
Assessment
English and French Language Assessments
involve a comprehensive review of reading, writing, listening
and speaking skills.
Assessment services for LINC programs
can be accessed through local community immigrant settlement
organizations which will refer you to appropriate LINC
programs or ESL programs offered by colleges and institutes
within your community.
In Quebec initial language assessment
is undertaken by the integration centres (Carrefours d’intégration)
of the Ministère des relations avec les citoyens
et de l’Immigration.
Colleges
and institutes serving as Citizenship and Immigration
Canada Assessment Centres for the Language Instruction
for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) Programs
Assessments and Credential
Recognition for Career and Technical Programs
Assessments and credential recognition
for career and technical programs are done through:
- entrance tests to assess language
and mathematical skills;
- Services from national or provincial
credentialing associations; and
- Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
services.
Information on entrance tests
for career technical programs must be obtained from the
individual colleges and institutes. Specific programs
can be found using the ACCC
Database of Training Programs. The Database search
results will provide links to the college and institute
websites that will provide Admissions requirements for
individual programs.
As part of the application process
to career/technical, university transfer and applied degree
programs, colleges and institutes may also use the services
of national and provincial assessment associations
to assess the educational credentials of immigrant students.
These associations include:
- International Credential Assessment
Service of Canada (ICAS)
- World Education Service
- International Qualifications Assessment
Service
Most colleges and institutes across
Canada offer Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
(PLAR) services. PLAR is a process of identifying,
documenting, assessing and recognizing skills, abilities
and knowledge that have been acquired through formal or
informal learning. Through PLAR, colleges and institutes
can facilitate the recognition of foreign credentials
based on education and work experience gained prior to
coming to Canada.
The process compares prior learning
gained from prior education, work and life experiences
and personal study to the learning outcomes of college
and institute courses so that students can obtain credit
equivalent to college and institute level courses. Students
demonstrate their prior learning through valid, rigorous
assessment methods which follow institutions’ policies
and procedures and ensure that credible learning has taken
place. If the learning demonstrated is equivalent to what
would normally be acquired through a formal course(s)
in the chosen area of study, then credit is granted. Most
often, faculty at colleges and institutes are the “course”
experts who assess the learning and determine the credit
awarded for prior learning.
Colleges and institutes have
PLAR Facilitators or Advisors that students are asked
to contact, or in some cases students must contact the
specific programs area for information on the college/institute
PLAR practices. Many institutions also regularly offer
PLAR orientation sessions which students can attend to
determine whether they can benefit from this service. |
