Welcome to Bridging Programs MNLCT 2023-2024

Bridging programs are designed to support internationally trained professionals in their pursuit of meaningful employment in the local job market. These programs offer newcomers an opportunity to bridge the gap between their existing skills and experience and the requirements of the Canadian work culture. 

To appreciate the benefits of a bridging program, imagine yourself as a brain library with shelves representing different periods of your job and personal development. When you relocate, you notice that your brain library has suddenly gone empty. Thus, bridging program fills gaps in your education, training, and work experience adjusting to a new language, culture, and trade. It respects their expertise while helping them adapt to new rules and regulations.

Bridging programs are designed to fill the unique gaps most immigrant professionals have, while respecting and acknowledging the existing professional knowledge and experience. 

These programs are shorter, more intensive and much cheaper than other alternatives, because the government subsidizes them, and they are not made to make profit from participants. 

On the other hand, academic programs are customized to local students. Purely academic programs are intended to construct a new shelf at the top of your library, not to fill empty places on current shelves. MNLCT‘s bridge training programs acknowledge that students already have professional expertise and that what they need is a program to assist them fill the gaps, not one to teach them what they already know. 

The Ontario Bridge Training Program (OBTP) is a vital initiative that supports internationally trained immigrants (ITIs) in their efforts to secure employment in their field or a related field while ensuring their existing skills and education are not duplicated. 

The program is designed for regulated and non-regulated high-skill jobs, offering ITIs extensive help as they handle the challenging process of obtaining work in their sector in Ontario. Universities and public colleges, occupational regulating authorities, community agencies, employer associations, and for-profit organizations are examples of service providers. 

The Ontario Bridge Training Program (OBTP) aims to connect internationally trained professionals with in-demand jobs in their communities through specialized programs that help newcomers match and enhance their skills and experience to meet the needs of local employers. The program has committed significant resources over a period of three years to achieve this goal.

We are an organization that provides bridging programs for newcomer professionals, offering them an understanding of Canadian work culture, further training and education, career coaching, and networking opportunities to help them develop a career plan. Through partnerships with employers, professional associations, universities, and regulatory institutions, MNLCT helps newcomers secure a position that matches their education, credentials, and experience.  

With a high social return on investment, MNLCT’s bridging programs have historically resulted in more than 85% of graduates being employed in their chosen fields, with improved professional networks, subject matter expertise, communication skills, and confidence in applying for jobs and attending interviews. 

MNCLT offers our programs online, and you can participate from any city in Ontario.  

To qualify for the MNLCT bridge training programs: 

Yes. Please note that there are other cases that may be helpful in identifying your eligibility.

Yes, if you are an Ontario resident and are temporarily traveling outside of Canada while still residing in Ontario. If you live outside of Ontario, you will be unable to participate in the program. 

No. This program is not intended for temporary residents. You must be a Permanent Resident, a naturalized Canadian, a refugee applicant with a valid work visa, a traditional refugee, or have CUAET status to qualify. 

CLB is an abbreviation for Canadian Language Benchmarks, which is a descriptive measure of English language proficiency. It establishes a single Canadian framework for characterizing and measuring English communication for instructional and other purposes, enabling a consistent foundation for the development of programs, curriculum, resources, and assessment tools throughout Canada. 

Language testing is provided at no cost to qualifying candidates. You may get more information about this free CLB certification at the information sessions.

No, you don’t. CLB 7 is the minimum prerequisite to participate in any of our bridging programs. Other programs, such as HOPES, are available to newcomers with CLB5. A CLB certification is valid for two years. 

Yes. If you were born outside of Canada and wish to participate in a bridge program, you must complete the CLB assessment since the funder, Employment Ontario, requires it. 

Yes. The condition for qualifying is at least two years of experience outside of Canada. 

Yes. For the BREM, BEMC, BESIP, and C-Women programs, two years of work experience outside of Canada is necessary.

To work in Canada and access government services and benefits, you must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

You can contact any of the approved centers listed below: 

Yes, we can help with these options:

Loans are made available to organizations other than MNLCT, and each has its own set of regulations. Please enquire about the payment process with the organization/program that supplied you with the loan.