Barriers and Facilitators to Professional Licensure and Certification Testing in Canada: Perspectives of Internationally Educated Professionals

Testing is an essential component of professional licensure and certification, which serves as a powerful decision-making tool to include or exclude internationally educated professionals from their respective professions in Canada. This study examines the role that testing plays in professional licensure and certification from the perspectives of newly arrived internationally educated professionals (IEPs) in four professions: teachers, engineers, nurses, and medical doctors. The study was conducted in Kingston and Windsor, ON, Canada. Data were collected through face to face interviews. The findings indicate both internal and external factors are associated with the testing process which impact whether IEPs can continue to practice and can contribute to Canada’s long-term social and economic goals.