Primary article #2 – PeopleTalk fall 2006
Want to fill job gaps with foreign-trained workers? Discover the benefits and bureaucracies you face.
BY STEPHEN HINDS
We have no shortage of headlines that read: “B.C. faces critical labour shortage” or “Canadian employers need to attract more foreign workers.” Will Canadian employers hire foreign-trained workers to fill job gaps by 2010 or earlier? Today, immigrant and refugee communities make up more than 32 per cent of the population of the Lower Mainland; however, they still don’t significantly fill the local labour market.
If B.C. employers choose this hiring solution, they must know that Canada's Immigration Act bases its employment provisions on a Canadians-first policy. Nevertheless, they still have these options:
- Job validation: Except for highly specific, employment-related activities that do not require an employment authorization, and certain specific exemptions to job authorization requirements, a "job validation" from Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) might be necessary.
This process can prove onerous for an employer. A validation will only be issued if the employer can show, after an extensive search, that no Canadian citizen can fill the position. The next step is to prove that the foreign- trained worker can fulfill specific job requirements.
As one example, Citizens Bank of Canada recruited its marketing manager, Adrian Tate, through job validation. When Tate met his future wife, he wanted to immigrate to Canada to join her. However, when he contacted Canadian recruitment agencies, they said that without sponsorship by a Canadian employer, it would prove difficult to put him forward for a Canadian position. The agencies all said that his best bet would be to contact potential employers himself. Therefore, when Tate saw an opportunity with Citizens Bank, he jumped at the chance. Vancity Group recruiter Kate Millard worked diligently to help Tate achieve his goal of a marketing position in B.C.;
- North American Free Trade Act: Under NAFTA, workers from the U.S. or Mexico can obtain an employment authorization without a job validation. Intra-company transferees with specialized knowledge and certain types of professionals might be able to obtain one-year employment authorizations, which are renewable;
- General Agreement on Trade (GATS): Under this agreement, certain qualified individuals who are not U.S. or Mexican citizens can enter Canada under specified categories, which include intra-company transferees and professionals.
These categories are similar to their NAFTA counterparts, but can be more restrictive. However, more than 120 nations who are members of the World Trade Organization are "GATS countries," including Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, and the United Kingdom; and
- Computer professionals and other special categories: This option allows foreign workers with specialized skills to work in Canada. After receiving submissions from the Canadian software industry, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, in collaboration with HRDC, is instituting a pilot project to streamline the entry of workers whose skills are in crucial demand in Canada's software industry.
If you or your organization is not too familiar with these programs, you can always hire an immigration lawyer. However, to do the work in-house, an employer can easily gather the information online through the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program Employers Application kit, HRDC or Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Besides the federal categories above, the provincial government has identified two of its own official categories of those who can apply:
- Strategic occupations: This includes registered nurses, skilled workers, and international students; and
- Business categories: This includes skilled workers that have the means to establish businesses that contribute to the economic development of this province.
Foreign workers face racism & low-wage offers
Meanwhile, many foreign-trained workers already living in the country are not seeking sponsorship but simply want the opportunity to gain “Canadian experience.” Career Bridge (www.careerbridge.ca), a Toronto-based organization, offers an internship program to fulfill this need. It allows employers to access a pool of mature, diverse and experienced talent. It also provides workshops for host organizations on managing cultural diversity in the workplace.
In return, the host organization will provide the intern with the following:
- a suitable internship opportunity;
- a designated coach who will mentor the intern throughout the internship; and
- opportunities for professional development and networking.
With the lack of a similar program in B.C., organizations such as Inventure Solutions, part of the Vancity Group, help foreign-trained landed immigrants learn more about employment in the Tech industry in Canada. Every year, Inventure Solutions hosts a two-day event in conjunction with the immigration and social service agency S.U.C.C.E.S.S. It gives skilled workers ideas on how to apply for jobs, write a résumé, and learn proper interview techniques. Stacey Lee, HR manager for Inventure Solutions, says that the most important skill she hopes to convey to foreign-trained workers is how to negotiate a salary. About 99 per cent were lowering their salary expectations and position requirements to obtain a Canadian position, Lee says.
Priti Shah of Capacity B.C. (www.BCITP.net) echoes these sentiments. The mandate of this organization is to influence government and strengthen leadership within the foreign-trained worker community. Many international, trained professionals have experienced racism, Shah says, and have received offers of lower-than-normal wages. Without the knowledge of where to go to get proper information, she adds, many immigrant workers are mistreated. In Vancouver, 31 per cent of recent immigrants with a university degree have jobs with low skill levels compared to 13 per cent of Canadian-born graduates, according to Statistics Canada.
Gain global perspective
British Columbian employers should be willing to explore the option of hiring “international trained professionals” (ITPs) because they bring a wealth of global experience needed in today’s world economy, Shah adds. She acknowledges that employers experience fear of the unknown when dealing with ITPs but she encourages B.C. employers to engage organizations such as Capacity B.C. This will help alleviate these fears and build a deeper understanding of professionals trained outside of Canada.
Overall, as more and more B.C.-based organizations experience labour shortages, they will develop innovative approaches to address this looming concern. The task of sponsoring a foreign-trained worker or recruiting someone without Canadian experience might seem like a daunting task but the diversity and global perspective gained can far outweigh the challenges.
Stephen Hinds is an HR business consultant for the Vancity Group. Contact: stephen_hinds@vancity.com
[sidebar 1]
Advice to employers: Stay open and communicate
If you’re thinking of hiring foreign-trained workers, a successful recruit and his recruiter offer these tips:
- Communication: Always keep lines of communication open between the applicant and potential employers during the immigration process, which can take six to eight weeks or more. Provide updates to both sides. Employers should provide all contact information; this can alleviate anxiety during a difficult border crossing into Canada;
- Rapport: Develop a positive working relationship with both sides. This can prove highly beneficial once a new recruit starts a position. It always helps to have an advocate at work, especially when you’re new to a country;
- Coaching: Look for employer opportunities to provide coaching to the potential employee, including tips on self-presentation or what information is needed when crossing the border. Provide as much assistance as possible with paperwork and work permit requests.
- Open-mindedness: Keep an employer open to experiences gained in another country; each foreign-trained worker can bring a new nugget of information to apply to the next foreign recruitment. Always questions the status quo from government officials.
Sidebar 2
Know CIC point system
Skilled workers who seek immigration to Canada face a point system that grades them in six areas:
- education;
- official languages;
- work experience;
- age;
- arranged employment in Canada;
- and adaptability (work experience, education or relative in Canada).
To qualify, the applicant must achieve a passing mark of 67 out of 100. For more
information, see the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website (www.cic.gc.ca).