On October 17, 2008, the
President of the French Republic,
Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Premier of
Québec, Jean Charest, signed an
understanding on the mutual recognition
of professional qualifications.
This innovative understanding marks a first between Europe and America. It
supports efforts aimed at
negotiating an economic partnership
between the European Union and
Canada.
Moreover, the recognition model
developed in this understanding can
easily be adapted to other
territories.
Since the understanding was signed,
representatives of a number of
trades and professions in Québec
have signed Mutual Recognition
Arrangements (MRAs) with their
French counterparts.
Close to 100 MRAs are to be
signed between France and Québec by
the end of 2010, providing simpler
and speedier access for the same
number of regulated trades and
professions.
Goals
- Remove obstacles to attracting
workers who practice regulated
professions or trades.
- Facilitate and accelerate the
recognition of professional
qualifications for individuals.
- Increase the competitiveness of
businesses, in light of the strong
global competition that exists, by
facilitating and accelerating the
recruitment of qualified workers
when the need arises.
- Respond more effectively to
labour needs in both the
manufacturing and service sectors in
France and Québec.
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Guiding
principles
- Protect public health and safety.
- Maintain the quality of
professional services.
- Reciprocity.
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Nature and
scope
By this understanding, Québec and
France have agreed to adopt a common
procedure to facilitate and
accelerate the recognition of
professional qualifications and
pledge to implement the procedure in
their respective legislation.
Accordingly, the Understanding
- provides that authorities
overseeing professional regulations
throughout France and Québec apply
this procedure in order to sign
“Mutual Recognition Arrangements” (MRAs)
allowing for the effective
recognition of professional
qualifications.
- sets a one-year time frame (December
31, 2009) for signing MRAs
pertaining to some thirty trades and
professions, and a two-year time
frame (December 31, 2010) for the
other regulated professions and
trades.
- applies to all regulated
professions and trades in France and
Québec. It is aimed at individuals
who have obtained evidence
certifying successful completion of
formal training in their regulated
trade or profession and who are
legally authorized to practice in
France or Québec.
- is based on the recognition of
qualifications and not on the
equivalence of degrees. This aspect
of the Understanding is derived from the
European Directive as well as Québec
legislation regarding professions
and trades.
- does not give automatic access to
the job market but rather removes
one of the impediments to gaining
access to it. Other mechanisms,
which vary from one government to
another, are what regulate entry
into the job market.
- is not an international trade
understanding. Neither is it an
understanding modifying immigration
rules or rules pertaining to
security checks that apply to the
entry of foreign nationals.
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Outcomes
Pursuant to the provisions of the
Understanding, the recognition of
professional qualifications that
have been acquired from appropriate
authorities in France or Québec will
result in allowing the individuals
concerned to be legally authorized
to practice in the host territory.
Specifically, the
Understanding
- tangibly accelerates and
facilitates access to regulated
professions and trades.
- removes one of the main obstacles
to the mobility of qualified workers
who, even after obtaining visas and
permits to work in the other
territory are refused the right to
practice their trade or profession.
- will result in enabling
applicants to obtain employment more
quickly and spare them from having
to go back to school, as is
presently the case.
- will ensure that conditions for
accessing regulated professions or
trades are known beforehand. Before
leaving, applicants will be able to
inquire about conditions and
timelines governing access to
practicing their trades or
professions.
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Implementation
The principles of the
Understanding are in effect as of October 17, 2008.
At the time of the signing of the
Understanding, the agencies and
departments in France and Québec
responsible for regulating twelve
regulated professions and eleven
regulated trades have confirmed that
they have officially begun the
process of determining the
conditions to be met for accessing
the trades and professions concerned
and have committed, in writing, to
signing an MRA in the coming months.
At the same time, both
governments have initiated the
process for introducing provisions
in their legislation to ensure the
effective implementation of the
provisions contained in the
Understanding within their respective
territories. This work should be
completed over the first quarter of
2009.
Should regulatory modifications
be required, six months will be
allotted for adopting modifications
following the signing of each MRA.
A bilateral oversight committee
and a secretariat will ensure the
Understanding’s implementation.
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For more
information:
- Telephone :
Services Québec :
- Québec City area: 418 644-4545
- Montréal area: 514 644-4545
- Elsewhere in Québec: 1 877
644-4545 (toll free)
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