There are major labour shortages in the skilled trades in Canada and one of the ways industry is looking to fill the gap is by looking outside the country.
Case in point: On Nov. 15, Greater Sudbury welcomed six new residents, all welders from Mexico recruited to help Carriere Industrial Supply in Lively fill a skills gap.
That gap is felt keenly in Northern Ontario. Not only is the population of the North older than average, but there is a high-rate of out-migration, which means population growth across the region is mostly stagnant. Further contributing to the skills gap, Northern Ontario fails to attract new residents — immigrant or otherwise — compared to Southern Ontario.
The federal government is running the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, exploring ways to attract new residents to areas of the country where populations aren’t growing and skills gaps are widening.
Some firms, like Carriere Industrial, have taken the bull by the horns. They haven’t regretted it either, said Dale Alexander, a controller for Carriere, which used IVEY Group to recruit the welders.
“I must say that the whole process … opened our eyes to the possibility of filling our shortage of experienced welders with foreign workers – a win/win for all,” Alexander said. “The men are super polite, sincere and eager to work. They are very appreciative of the opportunity to build a new life … for themselves and their families.
“We’re thrilled to have them as part of the CIS family and look forward to sharing more Northern Ontario experiences with them.”
In a news release, IVEY highlighted the steps Carriere took to help welcome their new welders, from picking them up at the airport, to supplying food, household goods and giving them a city-wide tour.
This effort reflects a federal government target to attract 350,000 immingrants annually by 2021. Of the 350,000 the Liberals want to attract, more than 200,000 would be economic residents, filling high skill needs, caregiving and business roles. The bulk of the remainder would include the families of skilled workers. Refugees and protected persons would represent about 20,000 of the total by 2021.
“To remain competitive, Northern Ontario businesses will need to explore solutions that promote population growth and diversification... For this reason, many businesses are turning to international recruitment as a solution to their hiring struggles,” IVEY stated in a news release. “With a globe full of skilled workers eager to work, live and establish themselves in Sudbury, international recruiting is an increasingly attractive solution.”
IVEY Group operates out of offices in the Old City Hall building in downtown Sudbury. It bills itself as “the only full-service immigration and international recruiting agency in Northern Ontario, offering international recruitment, immigration along with community and workplace integration services and language upgrading.”
The firm is active in more than 10 countries, matching skilled workers with a company’s particular hiring requirements. With services offered to both businesses and the public, including international students, a registered Canadian immigration consultant and settlement team help equip newcomers with everything they need to establish themselves and their families in Northern Ontario.
Visit IVEY’s website, IVEYGroup.ca.
