Barriers keeping skilled immigrants among the ranks of the unemployed and underemployed could very well halt future economic prosperity in Brampton and Canada. To its credit, the Brampton Board of Trade is sounding the alarm well in advance of hitting that wall and attempting to help local business operators steer clear. The board recently launched its Employers' Resource Guide to raise awareness about the deep pool of skilled immigrants in our community and the resources that exist to help employers reach that talent. Its contents might be invaluable in Brampton where more than 40 per cent of residents were born in another land. The publication includes information about job placement services, language and accreditation programs, co-op and internship programs, wage subsidies and mentorship programs that assist both employers and job seekers.
The guide is part of the board's Skills Without Borders project. Surveys and a series of focus groups with employers in Brampton and Caledon gathered insight about the barriers to hiring skilled immigrants. About 76 per cent of the employers surveyed indicated a shortage of applicants with appropriate skills, qualifications, licenses or experience. Language skills, difficulty assessing foreign education and credentials, lack of Canadian experience and cultural integration were identified as significant obstacles in the hiring process. Some employers want immigrants to cultivate a better understanding of expectations and business practices in the Canadian workplace. There is an expectation in the workplace that Canadian newcomers make an effort to integrate socially and professionally. But that door swings both ways, as Board of Trade CEO Sheldon Leiba pointed out. Immigrant workers are mainly responsible for the growth of Canada's current workforce. In a few years homegrown workers will not be enough to generate labour force growth.
Low birth rate: With Canada's baby boomer generation headed for retirement and a low national birth rate, by 2011 immigrants will be solely responsible for increasing the nation's labour force. Employers must come to grips with the reality that economic survival will hinge on immigrant workers and consumers. Their prosperity is closely tied to our own. By 2026, immigrants are expected to account for all Canada's population growth. For the first time since 1980, Ontario's third-quarter population increase was below the national average, according to Statistics Canada. Without the benefit of the nation's highest immigration rate, Ontario would have experienced a net loss in population. Our landscape is changing and good business sense demands employers adapt. To remain viable and competitive, employers must tap into the changing workforce that is expected to drive our economy in the future. Those not willing or unable to change will likely fall by the wayside.
The guide is part of the board's Skills Without Borders project. Surveys and a series of focus groups with employers in Brampton and Caledon gathered insight about the barriers to hiring skilled immigrants. About 76 per cent of the employers surveyed indicated a shortage of applicants with appropriate skills, qualifications, licenses or experience. Language skills, difficulty assessing foreign education and credentials, lack of Canadian experience and cultural integration were identified as significant obstacles in the hiring process. Some employers want immigrants to cultivate a better understanding of expectations and business practices in the Canadian workplace. There is an expectation in the workplace that Canadian newcomers make an effort to integrate socially and professionally. But that door swings both ways, as Board of Trade CEO Sheldon Leiba pointed out. Immigrant workers are mainly responsible for the growth of Canada's current workforce. In a few years homegrown workers will not be enough to generate labour force growth.
Low birth rate: With Canada's baby boomer generation headed for retirement and a low national birth rate, by 2011 immigrants will be solely responsible for increasing the nation's labour force. Employers must come to grips with the reality that economic survival will hinge on immigrant workers and consumers. Their prosperity is closely tied to our own. By 2026, immigrants are expected to account for all Canada's population growth. For the first time since 1980, Ontario's third-quarter population increase was below the national average, according to Statistics Canada. Without the benefit of the nation's highest immigration rate, Ontario would have experienced a net loss in population. Our landscape is changing and good business sense demands employers adapt. To remain viable and competitive, employers must tap into the changing workforce that is expected to drive our economy in the future. Those not willing or unable to change will likely fall by the wayside.
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