#AskMNLCT: Bridging Your Career in Times of Crisis

BREM (Bridge to Registration and Employment in Mental Health) is built on the legacy of the Bridge Training Program for Internationally Trained Mental Health Professionals (BTMH). In 2010, the Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto was given a grant by the Province of Ontario to create a pathway to employment for internationally trained mental health professionals in province. Since then, the program has welcomed and supported over 300 international professionals through a rich, diverse and relevant curriculum. We also help our participants and other mental health professionals with a strong background in psychotherapy to meet the requirements for registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists. We have partnered with the mental health sector to support on-the-job work experiences for our program participants, and we continue to advocate with local employers to create opportunities. 

The BREM Program is designed for immigrant professionals who have:

• Post-secondary education in psychology or a related field where a significant component is mental health (e.g., counselling, social work, medicine with specialization in psychiatry or psychotherapy, psychiatric nursing, occupational therapy focusing on mental health, divinity counselling, etc).
• The applicant’s post-secondary education must be evaluated as equivalent to a four-year Canadian Bachelor’s Degree, at the minimum.A minimum of two years of relevant work experience in psychotherapy, counselling or community mental health outside of Canada.
• Sufficient language skills (across all four language domains – reading, writing, listening, speaking) based on the following examinations (or equivalent):
  • CLBPT – score of 7
  • TOEFL score of 80
  • IELTS score of 6.5
  • CELBAN score of 7
• Immigration status: Refugee Claimant with work permit, Convention Refugee, Permanent Resident, Canadian Citizen.

Note: Applicants with a degree in medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, divinity, education and any other degree that isn’t directly related to psychology, must have a significant educational component related to mental health (minimum 100 hours).

• Attend an information session about BREM 

• Fill out an application form on bridgingprograms.org 

• Submit the following documents to adminbrem@mnlct.org to be reviewed by the admissions committee:
  • Credentials assessment performed through one of the following recognized agencies:
    • World Education Service (WES)*
    • University of Toronto
    • Medical Council of Canada: for internationally trained MDs, a letter must be submitted with the conclusion of assessment
    • Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW)
    • International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS)
  • Resume and cover letter addressing reasons for applying and career expectation
  • Proof of previous employment in the field of mental health 
    • Employer’s official letterhead
    • Reference’s name, position and contact information
    • The period of employment
    • A detailed description of responsibilities.
  • Language Score – with a valid Language Assessment Test 
  • Evidence of eligibility to work in Ontario
    Immigration documentation may include one of the following: citizenship document, permanent residence document, convention refugee status document.

* NOTE: An applicant who wishes to register with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) upon program completion, will need to obtain WES assessment, as per CRPO requirements. 
At minimum, the credential assessment must show equivalency to a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Canada. Candidates with training and experience not in psychology but in a related field (e.g., medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, child and family services, divinity) must provide BREM with substantial evidence of relevant education and recent work experience in mental health (supporting evidence might be required, such as transcripts, course outlines, detailed description of job responsibilities etc.).

The online component of the program is similar to on-site as attendance and participation affect the success of the participants. The online component is interactive, which means you need to attend classes the same as on-site participants would; online participants join the class via Zoom Video Conferencing.

As BREM is not an academic program, participants are not eligible for OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) or OBPAP (Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program). However, there are many other financial aids that participant can look into such as Windmill Microlending, Access Community Capital Fund and Employment Ontario. 

Every aspect of the bridging program prepares you to successfully find a paid job independently upon graduation. You will continue to have access to our alumni job postings, a career counsellor for quick review of resume or tips for interviews and applications, and access to an employment agency and a mentoring program. Over 80 percent of our graduates successfully find paid employment in their field after graduation. 

Although there are a lot of requirements that play into a successful job search, our top tip is to take the time to write a targeted resume for a specific job posting. First, only choose positions to apply for that you are qualified for, then take the hours required to demonstrate your match to a position in a very methodical and targeted way. It will take time. Use the required time (hours and maybe a full day – with breaks) to highlight the skills and experiences relevant to a specific job posting.

The resume needs to be edited or rewritten for each job you apply to. Do not send out the same resume to a mass number of postings, be picky. Adapting your resume for each position you apply for takes research, time and effort, but it helps to make it very clear to hiring managers and whomever else views your resume that you’re a good fit for the position. People who do this targeted process get interviewed.