Technology Industry Targeting Canadian Immigration

Technology industry representatives in the province of British Columbia are recruiting overseas for tech jobs. In order to help fill the approximately 10,000 positions which are projected vacant in the province this year, international technology students in the USA who are required to leave the USA are being invited to fairs conducted by the non-profit B.C. Technology Industry Association (BCTIA).

Approximately 400 technology companies participated in the annual TechTalentBC Labour Demand Study, funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education. Although most employers recognized that many of their employment needs would derive from immigration, most were not familiar with the various programs in place to facilitate that.

The BCTIA is trying to promote the region as a permanent and long-term destination for skilled workers. The group suggests that the industry's labour shortage is growing at a faster rate than originally predicted.

Immigrant Association Seeks to Fill Labour Needs

The Niagara Immigrants Employment Council was launched last month in order to fulfill the goals of attracting new Canadian immigrants to the Niagara, Ontario region and to promote the hiring of such immigrants by local employers. With participation from representatives of the region's leading companies and the presidents of local colleges and universities, the organization believes that it can help reduce local labour shortages.

By 2011, the growth of the Niagara region's labour force will depend mainly on foreign-trained individuals. The Niagara Economic Development Corporation identified a shortage of approximately 35,000 to 48,000 workers by the year 2010. The focus on attracting and retaining new immigrants is seen as a critical step in ensuring the region's continued vitality.

Provinces Encourage Canadian Immigration

British Columbia and Alberta are presently facing labour shortages that are forcing employers to recruit from abroad. Canada's federal government has enacted new rules to facilitate the admission of certain foreign workers to these provinces. In Alberta alone, there is an expected shortfall of 100,000 workers over the next decade.

Under the Expedited Labour Market Opinion Project, certain occupations are fast tracked so that the process can be reduced to as little as five days, as opposed to over five months required in those provinces at present.

Service Canada has recently added occupations in order to facilitate a total of 33 occupations in British Columbia and Alberta:

Carpenters (Journeyman/Woman)
Civil Engineers
Commercial Janitors, Caretakers
Construction Labourers
Crane Operators(Journeyman/Woman)
Delivery Drivers
Dental Technicians
Electrical & Electronics Engineers
Food and Beverage Servers
Food Counter Attendants
Food Service Supervisors
Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
Hotel Front Desk Clerks
Hotel and Hospitality Room Attendants
Industrial Electricians
Industrial Meat Cutters
Ironworkers
Manufacturing & Processing Labourers
Mechanical Engineers
Mechanical Engineering Technologists
Petroleum Engineers
Pharmacists
Registered Nurses
Residential Cleaning and Support Workers
Retail Salespersons and Sales Clerks
Roofers
Ski and Snowboard Instructors
Specialized Cleaners
Steamfitters, Pipefitters
Surveyor Helpers
Tour and Travel Guides
Welders
Machinists

Funding for Canadian Immigration Research

The city of Vancouver is receiving funding from the federal government and industry groups for diversity research and an upcoming summit on immigrants and jobs.

$7.5 million in funding has been granted by Canada's government for the purpose of conducting research into globalization, immigration and diversity at various centres across the country, including Metro Vancouver. This funding will help support the ongoing Metropolis Project initiated by a Vancouver area university, which started in 1995.

Meanwhile, Vancouver is gearing up for a summit which is intended to investigate ways to best match labour market needs with new immigrants. Participants include business leaders and employer groups, as well as local government officials.

Canadian Province of Saskatchewan Reports High Immigration Levels

Recent census data by Statistics Canada confirms that the province of Saskatchewan has attracted its highest number of immigrants in 75 years. The new immigrants, who derive primarily from China, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, helped to offset the number of residents who departed the province for locations such as Alberta.

Saskatchewan has joined the oil boom in Canada, and is second only to Alberta in overall Canadian production. The result has been an increase in employment for skilled trades in the region.