Skills Connect

Are you internationally trained? Not working in your field? Skills Connect can help!

The BC Skills Connect for Immigrants Program at the Victoria Immigrant & Refugee Centre (VIRCS) is designed to support skilled immigrants to secure jobs and use their skills, education and work experience from their home country to good use. Funds are for anyone who is in a credited program such as computer applications, accounting even short courses like medical terminology as long as the certification is finishing by March 31 or early April, 2017.

How much funding is available?

Clients get reimbursed anywhere from $500 to $700 and clients must contribute the remaining.

What training costs are eligible?

• Tuition fee

• Student fee

• Textbooks

• Exam fees

Who can apply?

Newcomers:

• Conventional Refugees

• Permanent Residents or

• Canadian citizens

who have become permanent residents within the last 5 years, with at least one year of pre-landing skilled employment, intermediate level of English (CLB level 6), and are not receiving support from any government program.

What types of trainings are covered?

• Essential skills

• Technical training

• Short-term certificates

Training can take place in a university, community college, or online between within the funding cycle.

How can VIRCS help you?

VIRCS is happy to help with career planning, prior learning assessment, qualifications assessment/credential evaluation, connections to professional regulating bodies, short-term / industry-specific training, networking and mentoring; as well as, one-on-one job coaching. Contact us by tel: 250-361-9433; email: jennifera@vircs.bc.ca; visit: 3rd Floor- 637 Bay St., Victoria, BC, V8T 5L2. Get applications in early, application reviewed when received.

Application Deadline:  End of December