Employer Toolkit for IEHPs

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N4 has published a report and accompanying toolkit with resources, promising practices, strategies, and tools to support the recruitment and retention of internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) into Canadian health care organizations. IEHPs improve Canadians’ access to care and enhance the diversity of our health care workforce through their valued international education and experience – a key asset to health care employers across sectors and provinces. In order to be successful, IEHPs require additional supports towards integration in their workplace and their communities. To create these products, we engaged with health care employers across Canada, including acute care, community health, long-term care, health authorities and government.

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Resources for Canadian Healthcare Providers Recruiting and Retaining IEHPs

RETAINING NEWCOMERS:
The Government of Saskatchewan has a list of resources on Retaining Newcomers Employees that assists employers integrating newcomers into your workplace.
The Immigrant Employment Council of BC has a Retaining Immigrant Talent tip-sheet that provides ideas, skills and resources to retain immigrant talent.
The Immigrant & Refugee Services Association PEI offers workshops for employers on topics from the benefits of inclusion to retention of newcomers.
At Health Force Ontario, the Access Centre for IEHPs provides programs and services to help IEHPs integrate into the Ontario health care system with the primary goal of helping them become trained, licensed, and employed in their profession or an alternative career.
Anti-Racism at Work created The Employer Playbook: Strategies for Immigrant Inclusion that provides easy-to-implement strategies that support your efforts to recruit, add diverse perspectives to your organization and foster an inclusive environment.
Hire Immigrants Ottawa has an Employer Playbook: Strategies for Immigrant Inclusion in Canadian Workplaces to help employers leverage newcomer expertise and provide best practices to foster an inclusive workplace.

SUPPORTING IMGS/ITPS:
The Community Retention Toolkit offers suggestions on how communities across Newfoundland and Labrador can become involved in retaining the health professionals they successfully to their local health care system for IMGs/ITPs.
The Physician Recruitment & Retention in the Atlantic Provinces provides physician recruiters, health authorities, policy makers, students, and other stakeholders with a medical student-informed guide about the current recruitment and retention models of each of the Atlantic provinces and suggested action plans for future directions.
The Practice in B.C. Family Physician Recruitment & Retention Toolkit provides easy access to best or promising practice processes, tools, and templates that can assist in their local recruitment, retention, and practice coverage efforts and has dedicated resources for IMGs/ITPs.

SUPPORTING IENS:
McMaster University Employer’s Guide assists employers in hiring IENs which includes resources on hiring, recruitment, entry and orientation, succeeding in the workplace, culture and language, mentorship, helping IENs adjust, etc.
Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) Career Pathway at Sunnybrook outlines their innovative pathway, showing how IENs can start their careers in health care and transition into registered nursing positions, both RN and RPN positions.
CARE Centre provides IENs in Ontario with one-on-one case management, language and communication skills, exam preparation, professional development, mentoring and networking to be successful in the nursing profession
Manitoba Health Care Providers Network has a step-by-step process to assist IENs in becoming registered nurses.
HIRE IEHPs is an online repository of educational resources for health professionals and employers.

RURAL SUPPORT:
The New Brunswick Multicultural Council provides coordination, training, materials, and develops common tools and resources to strengthen the quality and reach of settlement services and improve retention across rural communities.
The Local Immigration Partnership aims to strengthen the role of local communities across Canada in integrating and serving our newcomer population. They have resources for employers on how to develop an inclusive workplace, recruitment practices, onboarding new and diverse employees, and ways to find newcomer talent.

OTHER:
The Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project (IRMHP) offers online training, tools and resources to settlement, social and health service professionals working with immigrants and refugees
N4 / Saint Paul University IEHP Online Program is designed to accompany and support IEHPs overcome barriers to finding health care jobs in Canada.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO NEWCOMERS:
Windmill Microlending is Canada’s only national charity offering affordable loans to skilled immigrants and refugees.
SEED Winnipeg works in partnership with over 100 organizations in Manitoba to deliver customized financial empowerment programs.

NEWCOMER SETTLEMENT SERVICES ACROSS CANADA:
IRCC Settlement Services Database is a national database that can help newcomers in finding employment, language assessment, register for language classes, find a place to live, sign up your kids for school, and learn about community services.
Saint John Newcomer Centre works towards improving cultural, social, and economic well-being of citizens and newcomers of all backgrounds to Greater Saint John, New Brunswick.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Association for New Canadians delivers settlement and integration services to immigrants and refugees.
Settlement.org provides support to newcomers in housing, education, employment, and community in Ontario.
The Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Immigration compiled a list of settlement organizations across Nova Scotia for newcomers in Halifax, Antigonish, and Cape Breton.
In Manitoba, the New Journey Housing reduces the challenges newcomers face as they seek to attain and retain decent affordable housing in Manitoba with a priority in Winnipeg.
In British Columbia, the B.C.’s Newcomers’ Guide to Resources and Services is available in multiple languages and provides support from housing for newcomers and understanding B.C’s culture and systems.

PROVINCIAL NAVIGATORS:
The Province of New Brunswick has made it a priority to attract, support and retain valuable health-care professionals through the IEN Navigation Services and IEHP Navigation Service that provides customized, client-centred assistance at no cost to the candidate.
The Access Centre at HealthForce Ontario is the centralized point of access for all IEHPs in Ontario seeking information and advice about the licensing process and alternative career options.
The Recruitment and Retention Secretariat of Prince Edward Island provides health human resource planning and undertakes recruitment and retention efforts to meet the current and future needs for physicians, nurses and allied health professionals.
Alberta International Medical Graduates Association (AIMGA) is a non-profit organization that supports IMGs as they complete the professional requirements in order to integrate into the Canadian health care system.