As per the official reports of the Business Council of Canada, a survey conducted for over eighty businesses in Canada revealed that they recruited skilled workers through Canadian immigration programs.
Canada has worked extremely hard to acquire recognition and a reputation as a country that hires skilled and talented people worldwide.
Other businesses that were surveyed disclosed that they hired over 1.6 million workers. Companies recruiting skilled workers overseas also use the Canadian system of immigration and these companies are about two-thirds while the rest of the companies choose immigrants who are settled in Canada.
Canada provides enormous economic immigration pathways as well as work permits. With the arrival of 2024, it is estimated that the Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024 shall witness over 450,000 new permanent residents.
Acute Labor shortage giving rise to more job vacancies
As per calculation, it is being said that by the time Canada reaches 2030, over 9 million Canadians will turn 65 years old reaching their retirement age. This situation will further give rise to a labor shortage and hence, a vast number of job vacancies will emerge.
BCC survey reports state that the Canadian labor shortage is spreading so quickly that it has become difficult for industries to look for appropriately skilled workers.
Provinces such as Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia continue to witness extreme labor shortages.
The Tech sector in Canada has experienced a labor shortage in the worst possible way due to the industry’s increased demand and the lack of skilled workers. Occupations with excessive demand include Information Tech, Computer Science, and Engineering.
An annual report of Express Entry in 2020 claimed that candidates who belonged to the above fields had greater chances for permanent residency invitations.
The main challenge is the imbalance between demand and available workers which has been going on for a long time.
Popular Programs used by employers in Canada
Canadian employers usually use economic class immigration programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, FSTP, and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) to hire foreign workers.
Temporary Work Permits
Global Talent Stream (GTS)
GTS is a crucial part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It applies to candidates with prior work experience in the tech industry and who can meet its standard requirements of urgent vacancies.
The Global Talent Stream (GTS)requires businesses to complete the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. GTS also demands LMBP (Labour Markets Benefits Plan) to provide it to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). After they receive a positive or neutral response, the recruited candidate must submit his application for the work permit to IRCC.
Express Entry Programs
Express Entry is the most desirable and helpful pathway for skilled immigrants and is regarded as the most effective system for letting newcomers immigrate to Canada. Candidates with a tech background contribute largely to Express Entry as they receive the maximum PR invitations.
Express Entry is explicitly designed for skilled workers with the Federal Skilled Worker Program being the most in-demand program. To be eligible for the FSWP, candidates need a minimum of 1 year’s work experience in the jobs listed under NOC skill type 0, A, or B similar to most tech sectors.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
FSWP candidates will need to qualify for its eligibility. The eligibility demands an essential 1 year of work experience as a skilled worker, a Canadian Language Benchmark of score level 7, and the essential Educational Credential Assessment.
Canadian Experience Class
Candidates under CEC will need to have essential 1-year work experience in Canada in the previous five years. Their skill code under NOC will also determine the minimum language requirement they need to fulfill.
Is there a scope for improvement?
Some believe that the Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024 isn’t sufficient for meeting the business requirements and coping with the increasing labor shortage. The rest of the immigrants believe that even though economic immigrants need to be increased, there is also a need to understand that the government should look forward to providing immigrants with better infrastructure and housing facilities along with childcare and healthcare.
Employers have also realized their significant role in helping immigrants in several ways. They could provide them with language training, help them recognize their foreign credentials, and assist them in relocating.
Conclusion
Respondents of the survey who held a positive view of the current immigration system account for only less than a quarter of them. They feel that the application procedures are lengthy due to their processing times, which is a huge obstacle to recruiting more skilled individuals.
Business owners in Canada have observed that the demand for skilled immigrants will only increase with time. Graduates who have recently completed their graduation are already facing massive challenges to acquire a Permanent Residency as it takes considerably longer to attain work experience in Canada.
