recognized in a fair, consistent, transparent and timely manner in 24 target occupations, including trades. These occupations represent 90% of the regulated occupations that internationally-trained newcomers enter in Canada. The Government of Canada invests $21.4 million annually to streamline processes and enhance the capacity of licensure and regulatory bodies.  Evaluation findings from 2014 suggest there has been good progress and systematic changes on many fronts, including improved access to timely information; development of Pan-Canadian assessment structures; and increased collaboration, information-sharing and adoption of best practices among all stakeholders. Canada’s current priorities include working with stakeholders, including regulatory bodies and national associations, to better align immigration and licensure processes in the regulated occupations. 16. For more information on federal, provincial and territorial employment measures, please refer to paragraphs 30-39 on integration and 44-48 on employment equity in Canada’s twentyfirst to twenty-third report on the ICERD, paragraphs 11-24 in Canada’s interim report on the ICERD (2014), as well as paragraphs 33-42 on the removal of barriers to employment in Canada’s Response to the List of Issues in relation to the sixth report of Canada on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Education Measures 17. Canada recognizes that obtaining a good education is one of the cornerstones of ensuring the successful integration of all Canadians into the broader society. Within the federal system of shared powers, Canada’s Constitution provides that education is the exclusive jurisdiction of the provincial and territorial governments. All provincial and territorial governments have departments or ministries of education that are responsible for the organization, delivery, and assessment of education at the elementary and secondary levels, for technical and vocational education, and for postsecondary education. 18. Schools are an important site for the successful integration of immigrant youth and their families. In partnership with boards of education and settlement agencies, Canada has been funding the Settlement Workers in Schools since 1999. Through this initiative, settlement workers support newcomer students with a broad range of supports, resources and connections to the broader community. These needs-based services are culturally-appropriate and may include: information and orientation, non-therapeutic counselling, linguistic interpretation, and conflict resolution. Employment and Social Development Canada also supports Pathways to Education, an organization that helps youth from disadvantaged communities in their educational experience and career development by providing academic, social and financial supports. 19. The educational outcomes of second generation Canadians and those who migrated to Canada before age 15 are, on average, equal or better than those of their Canadian-born counterparts. In 2011, 40% of immigrants aged 25-29 held university degrees, compared with 26% of third plus generation Canadians.2 Furthermore, immigrant children have comparatively 2 http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151118/dq151118a-eng.htm 4