Metropolis Halifax Presentation

Bringing Employers Into the Immigration Debate : 

Bringing Employers Into the Immigration Debate Yves Poisson Director of Special Projects Public Policy Forum

Project Objectives: 

Project Objectives To determine the extent employers think recent immigrants: could fill their current or future labour market needs Face challenges when they are hired or integrated into the workforce

Methodology: 

Methodology Survey of 2091 employers across the country Survey observations made by region, and cities (including Atlantic Canada ad Halifax) Focus groups in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Moncton Conference in Ottawa on November 4 to discuss policy implications

Outline of Presentation: 

Outline of Presentation Key Findings: Positives “But…” Policy Implications

Key Findings: 

Key Findings Employers: have a positive attitudes towards immigrants and immigration see benefits to hiring immigrants open to being involved in strategies to help integrate immigrants into the workforce.

Slide6: 

Positive attitudes towards immigrants and immigration

Slide7: 

Positive attitudes towards immigrants and immigration

Slide8: 

Benefits to Hiring Immigrants

Slide9: 

Q.19a Have immigrant employees required any special training beyond what might be required by a Canadian-born employee? (Prior to July 9, wording was – Have employees who have been in Canada for less than ten years required any special training beyond what might be required by a Canadian-born employee?) Subsample: Those whose organization currently has immigrants as part of its labour force Benefits to Hiring Immigrants

Slide10: 

Benefits to Hiring Immigrants

Slide11: 

Benefits to Hiring Immigrants

Slide12: 

Benefits to Hiring Immigrants

Benefits to Hiring ImmigrantsFocus Group Results: 

Benefits to Hiring Immigrants Focus Group Results Hardworking Good work attitude/respectful Loyal Often highly skilled Create a more diverse workplace New ideas Flexible – will work shifts that are hard to fill Will work for less money – initially Help to serve immigrant clients in their language

Slide14: 

Open to being involved in strategies

Slide15: 

Open to being involved in strategies

Key Findings: 

Key Findings BUT Employers also: overlook immigrants in human resource strategies Face challenges when hiring immigrants are not hiring immigrants at the level they were trained face challenges integrating recent immigrants into their workforce

Slide17: 

Overlook Immigrants in HR strategies

Slide18: 

Overlook Immigrants in HR strategies

Slide19: 

Overlook Immigrants in HR strategies

Slide20: 

Overlook Immigrants in HR strategies

Slide21: 

Overlook Immigrants in HR strategies

Slide22: 

Q.11 From what you have seen or heard, what do you think are the main difficulties that immigrants face during the following phases of the job hunting process … the initial application phase, prior to getting an interview … getting called in for an initial interview … getting called back for a second interview or a job offer? Note: Respondents were previously instructed to always think of someone who has lived in Canada for ten years or less when they hear the term “immigrant.” Face Challenges When Hiring Immigrants

 Face Challenges When Hiring Immigrants Focus Groups Results : 

Face Challenges When Hiring Immigrants Focus Groups Results Language, language, language! (Comprehension, writing, comprehensibility) Lack of experience with Canadian work culture/business etiquette Temporary: want to go to other larger Canadian cities (Moncton) Not able to work in a team Frustration with being overqualified for their jobs Cultural differences/misunderstanding: holidays, language, way of dressing themselves, religion Sexism (i.e.: Muslim men who refuse to obey a woman) Harder to integrate to working teams Harder to assess skills/qualifications

Slide24: 

Q.6a Thinking about the unique needs of your organization, which of the following best describes the requirement for potential employment with your organization? (Prior to July 9, wording was – Thinking about the unique needs of your organization, which of the following best describes the prerequisite for potential employment with your organization?) Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide25: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide26: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide27: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide28: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide29: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide30: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Slide31: 

Do not hire immigrants at their level of training

Face Challenges Integrating Immigrants into the Workforce: 

Face Challenges Integrating Immigrants into the Workforce

Slide33: 

Face Challenges Integrating Immigrants into the Workforce

Slide34: 

Face Challenges Integrating Immigrants into the Workforce

Policy Implications: 

Policy Implications 1. Employers need to be informed and engaged in discussions on selection and levels. 2. Employers should be engaged in regionalization strategies. 3. Employers should be encouraged to develop strategies to hire immigrants more effectively.

Policy Implications: 

Policy Implications 4. Promote existing credential recognition services and develop new services where appropriate. 5. Improve language training, especially occupationally-based. 6. Create tools to encourage cultural understanding.