Ontario removes Canadian work experience requirements for foreign-trained engineers

Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) recently removed a requirement for foreign-trained engineers to have prior Canadian work experience in order to receive a license in the province. This move is part of a larger nationwide adoption of new rules forcing regulators to remove these requirements in many different professions. 

The newly amended Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, first announced in 2021, applies to 36 professions and trades, including teaching, architecture, social work, and auto body repair. It is intended to expedite the licensing process for international professionals, removing language proficiency tests and allowing applicants to register more quickly in times of national emergency. 

In the engineering profession, applicants will still be subject to rigorous evaluation to ensure competency in their practice. Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said the regulatory bodies affected by the legislation will have until Dec. 2 to remove Canadian work experience requirements from their application processes. Regulators who do not comply could face fines of up to $100,000.  Read more at Northern Ontario Business.

Online gaming operators in Quebec call for new industry regulations

A group of online gaming organizations has launched the Quebec Online Gaming Coalition (QOGC), which seeks to collaborate with the province’s government and create new regulations for its online gaming industry. This comes at a time of growing concern over the industry’s impact on consumer safety, its use of advertising, and its potential to increase tax revenue for the Quebec government. 

A recent survey had found that 66% of Quebecers were in favor of establishing regulations for online gaming operators, while 75% believed the tax revenue from regulating the industry should go toward social services like addiction prevention programs. The Coalition, formed in response to the survey, is calling for the creation of an independent regulatory body to establish protections for players. 

The founding members of the QOGC include major online gaming service providers like Betway, Bet99, DraftKings, and Games Global. The Coalition is asking the government to take note of recommendations from a 2014 Online Gambling Task Force report and create regulations modeled after those of jurisdictions like Ontario, which mandates licensure for online gaming operators. Read more at Newswire.ca.

Missouri seeks to tighten licensing rules for assistant physicians

New legislation on Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s desk would increase licensure restrictions for those looking to practice as assistant physicians in the state. This comes on the heels of the indictment of former state Rep. Tricia Derges, who sold fake stem cell treatments and committed fraud in COVID-19 programs while licensed as an assistant physician under current regulations. 

The new legislation would require those applying to be assistant physicians to be graduates of accredited U.S.-based schools or non-U.S. schools recognized by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. Under the existing laws, Derges had received license to practice after graduating from Caribbean Medical University in the Netherland Antilles, which is not accredited by any recognized body. 

State Sen. Curtis Trent, who first proposed the new provisions, said the amendments are not intended to cut down on the number of assistant physicians practicing in Missouri but to ensure quality education in those who do practice. Some stakeholders argue the laws as they stand allow medical or osteopathic school graduates to find work even if they cannot find residency program slots (which are often scarce). Read more at Missouri Independent.

UK regulators and legislators offer conflicting recommendations for crypto regulation

Regulators and lawmakers in the U.K. are split on the question of how to regulate cryptocurrencies. While legislators are calling for consumer crypto trading to be regulated as gambling, regulators from the International Organization of Securities Commissions (Iosco) are recommending it be treated similarly to traditional assets, such as stocks and bonds. 

The U.K. Parliament’s Treasury Committee recently published a report entitled “Regulating Crypto,” which concludes that cryptocurrencies threaten consumer safety with their price volatility and the risk of losses. It also argues that these currencies have no intrinsic value and that their trading more closely resembles gambling than it does any traditional financial transaction. 

MPs from the committee believe treating cryptocurrency with traditional regulatory measures, like those proposed by Iosco, can lead consumers to believe that betting on unbacked assets is safer than it might actually be. Iosco’s recommendations include requiring transparency from crypto trading platforms on how assets are vetted, stored, and safeguarded. Read more about Iosco’s position at The Guardian and the Treasury Committee’s report at Bitcoin.com.

Israel pushes to bring young Jewish immigrants to Jerusalem

Israel is launching a new initiative, entitled the “Young Aliyah to Jerusalem” program, to draw young Jewish immigrants to the nation’s capital as part of a larger effort to boost the city’s economy. Minister of Aliyah Ofir Sofer said the program, launched in partnership with local government would also help to strengthen the city’s “Zionist character.” 

New funding for the initiative, totaling around NIS 95 million ($26 million USD), will go toward special events, youth centers, and programs to help young immigrants and students adjust to life in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Municipality will also assist newcomers with job training and professional licensing and create educational programs for children of young families who move to the city. 

Though more than 18,000 Jewish immigrants have chosen to move to Jerusalem when making aliyah since 2018, about 30% of these immigrants ultimately decided to leave the city. Despite being the capital of Israel, Jerusalem remains one of the nation’s poorest cities, due in part to a lack of job opportunities in the jurisdiction. Read more about the initiative at All Israel News.

More news:

• Government figures in Quebec show the province has lost nearly 21,000 health care workers over the past two years. The exodus is placing strain on Quebec’s health care system, leading to overcrowding in emergency rooms and the closure of around 2,000 hospital beds across the province. The government is now seeking to address the shortage by recruiting internationally trained nurses. 
• New legislation has been introduced in Maine that would create licensure standards for general contractors in the state – standards which already exist in most U.S. jurisdictions. LD 1929, sponsored by State Rep. Tiffany Roberts, seeks to increase consumer protection by regulating general contractors, some of whom are alleged to be cutting corners in their work without proper regulatory oversight. 
• Georgia residents will now be able to use Digital Driver’s Licenses on their iPhones and Apple Watches. Though the licenses are not intended to replace physical state IDs, the new option is intended to speed up the process of getting through airport security and TSA checkpoints. This makes Georgia the fourth state to launch a digital ID option for its citizens. The state plans to offer support for Android phones as well in the near future. 
• A new bill put forth in Prince Edward Island could remove barriers to licensure for internationally trained health professionals in the province. The newly amended Regulated Health Professions Act would no longer require these workers to have a letter of good standing from the jurisdictions in which they have previously worked. It does, however, contain a requirement that health workers have no outstanding disciplinary matters on file that would render them “unsuitable” to practice.

Also noteworthy:

Interesting opinion, commentary, and analysis from the web:

• Hendrickson & Timmons: Making Iowa more competitive through occupational licensing reform (The Iowa Torch) 
• Here’s what U.S. lawmakers are saying about new marijuana legislation (Bloomberg) 
• Here is how this Texas nursing program’s helping address shortage (Beaumont Enterprise) 
• Governments race to regulate artificial intelligence tools (Al Jazeera) 
• A U.S. regulatory agency just for AI? It could happen (PYMNTS) 
• Questioning physicians about health conditions at medical licensure registration (Canadian Medical Association Journal) 
• Massachusetts regulators have embraced a new approach on cannabis cafes (The Berkshire Eagle)

Disclaimer: The thoughts, opinions, and commentary of the articles we share links to in Week in Brief do not necessarily reflect those of Ascend Magazine or Thentia.