Are You New Immigrant Dietitian in Canada?

Are You Internationally Educated Dietitian?

Do want to work as Registered Dietitian or Food Service Manager?

Looking for information or help to get License in Ontario

Are you preparing for KCAT exam?

Every year many Dietitians from other countries immigrate to Canada with high hopes. Internationally Educated Dietitians experience high rates of underemployment and unemployment in Canada. Major barriers are lack of Canadian experience, knowledge of dietetic competencies, language, communication, and recognition of foreign credentials. They face troubles in finding a job in their preferred field and look for survival jobs (jobs with minimum wages). They do volunteer work, unpaid work, and underpaid work to gain experience, which could help them to get a survival job. Sometimes, they also give up because they don’t see good outcomes

They also think to move back to their home countries, as they cannot afford their basic amenities. Most of the International Educated Dietitians cannot become Registered Dietitians as they are not accustomed to the Canadian workplace culture and cannot fulfill requirements. Another challenge that Internationally Educated Dietitians are facing is not being familiar with the regulated professional practices in Canada and this can cause difficulties for them to adapt to new regulations and learn about legislation. Registration includes working within a recognized code of ethics, practice, and/or conduct. Most of the internationally trained dietitians are not familiar with various areas of Dietitian practices in Canada such as Long-Term Cares, Population, and Public Health. They also struggle with the five areas of ICDEP (competencies) which are assessed during their exams namely;

1. Professional Practice
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Nutrition Care
4. Population and Public Health
5. Management

And because these competencies are assessed with situational questions, International Educated Dietitians often do not do well on qualification exams. Unfortunately, we have seen a number of dietitians who were not able to pass the professional exams after much preparation and had to retake this several times before they were successful. Others who were not successful after many attempts sadly had to change careers. There is an existing gap that must be overcome.

The Internationally Educated Dietitians Network of Canada (IEDNC) is an organization of Internationally Trained Dietitians. Registered Dietitians, Dietitian students in Canada and abroad. Their goal is to bridge the gap and help Internationally Educated Dietitians to feel supported, engaged, empowered, and maintain the International Standards of Practice.

IEDNC Members will have access to

· Familiarity to Canadian Workplace
· Familiarity to Canadian Foods
· Evidence-Based Practice Questions
· Job and Volunteer opportunities
· Career maps to work in the food industry

Members will also have access to buy online courses such as

· Understanding genetics to improve health outcomes
· Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology required to prepare for KCAT in Canada
· Evidence-Based Practice
· Foundations of Food Nutrition
· Nutrition during life span and many more…

For more information, please visit

www.iednc.ca