A key strategy to address labour shortages is to hire and retain immigrants. Immigrants provide an employer with a rich source of local talent, broadening the pool of qualified candidates and increasing an organization’s competitive edge.
Skilled immigrants are highly educated, usually bilingual and sometimes multilingual. Their varied backgrounds and experiences enhance workplace culture and foster creativity and innovation.
Immigrant employees offer a valuable window on your potential customer base. Their insight can help you develop strategies that will win you a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace. They can also help you tap into new markets internationally.
Hiring Immigrants
The Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia (IEC-BC) aims to help B.C. employers access the full potential of immigrants’ skills, training and knowledge. The Council works with employers and a range of other key stakeholders. Visit their website to learn more.
If you are planning to hire immigrants, consult Hiring and Retaining Skilled Immigrants - A Cultural Competence Toolkit. This resource is full of information, tips and tools, from advertising the job to ensuring success of your skilled immigrant employees.
If you’re a small or medium-sized business, you’ll find a range of relevant links in the BC Chamber of Commerce employer’s guide, Quick Links to Hiring Foreign Workers. The guide also lists bridging and mentoring programs, language/career assessment and training, and other resources.
The Skills Connect for Immigrants Program offers employers qualified workers who are ready to apply their pre-arrival skills, knowledge and experience. The skilled workers are assessed and helped to bridge into the workplace in areas where there are skills shortages. Five key sectors of the economy are involved, including construction, transportation, energy, tourism/hospitality, and health.
The Employer’s Roadmap is Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s new tool for small to medium-sized businesses interested in hiring internationally trained workers. This practical resource will help business owners, human resources professionals, recruiters and managers. In addition, The Alliance of Sector Councils and the Conference Board of Canada offer workshops and resources on Enhancing Competitiveness with Internationally Trained Workers.
Retaining Immigrants
With effective planning, diversity can increase intercultural respect and understanding in your workplace and beyond. Immigrants’ fresh perspectives and points of view can both improve your bottom line and enhance day-to-day life and relationships within your organization.
WelcomeBC provides a one-stop source of information about living, working, studying or investing in B.C., from a wide cross-section of B.C. government and federal ministries.
For tips for ensuring success of skilled immigrants on the job, visit Hiring and Retaining Skilled Immigrants - A Cultural Competence Toolkit. This website also presents considerations for typical workplace scenarios, helping you to develop a culturally competent approach.
Find employers’ success stories on developing your employees and creating an inclusive climate, cultural competence videos, and downloadable webinars at Hireimmigrants.ca.
