April 23, 2013
Canada’s Economy Needs Immigrants
Canada needs immigrants for numerous reasons; they bring language, culture, international experience and, with an aging population and low birth-rates, they are essential to our economy. By 2031, Statistics Canada predicts that one in three workers will be born overseas.
However despite its need for immigrants, Canada falls short when it comes to integrating them into the labour market. And it’s not a matter of lacking skills, as immigrants have many of the skills employers are looking for. Instead, there is a lack of connection between the employer and the foreign national.
There are various programs available to help employers integrate immigrants into their companies. Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) and hireimmigrants.ca, are two such resources, helping employers create bias-free recruitment practices and strengthen their teams’ cultural competence.
Mentoring proves useful to both parties, for the employer, they are connected with the immigrant talent pool, for the immigrant, they can increase earnings.
It is important for all levels of government to ascertain that their policies correspond to the needs of the labour market and the existing workforce. It is not solely the responsibility of the employers to implement integration.
By fully engaging the contributions of skilled foreign workers, Canada will be able to attract the best and brightest workers and remain a fierce competitor in the global market.
Click here for more information on the Federal Skilled Worker program.