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Faced with a demographic deficit that sees more jobs than people qualified to fill them, Quebec “has no choice” but to do more to recognize diplomas held by immigrants in the province, according to researchers with the Institut du Québec.

“Given the penury (of expertise) in certain sectors, it has become imperative to integrate all available talent,” says the IDQ report published Monday.

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While there are no statistics to precisely indicate to what extent diplomas are recognized in the province, the IDQ notes that immigrants face more challenges when trying to have their expertise evaluated, particularly when it comes to dealing with Quebec’s various professional orders.

According to the IDQ, these professional orders are sometimes “obstacles” to the integration of newcomers to the province, where the rate of unemployment among immigrants is higher than the national average.

In the context of their mission to protect the public, the orders determine the norms for the recognition of professional competence and have the last word on whether a candidate can exercise their profession in Quebec. The orders also determine what training or internships must be completed by candidates who do not fulfill their requirements.