According to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, by the year 2041, it is estimated that new Canadians could account for anywhere between 29 percent to 34 percent of Canada’s total population. However, when it comes to recruiting new talent, many organizations miss the opportunity to understand how an influx of individuals from different countries could add value to their organization’s work. This is not necessarily due to lack of interest but by not understanding how they can tailor their talent search and navigate different support services based on their needs. Keeping this in mind, the next time you’re getting ready to post for a new position, consider some of these hiring strategies depending on some scenarios you might find yourself in.


Scenario #1: Looking to add one or two employees – access a welcome centre

If you’re looking to fill one or two jobs in your organization, consider taking a trip to an immigrant services welcome centre. You can find a centre in your community through a simple web search and work with these support organizations to connect you to newcomer talent through events, direct referrals, or customized services. After years working in economic development for different Ontario municipalities, Katie Mills offers this advice to anyone visiting a centre for the first time, “Many organizations don’t realize that welcome centres often offer their employment services free-of-charge and can work alongside you to identify potential candidates once you’ve shared more detailed information about the position you’re trying to fill. If you’ve never visited a welcome centre before, it might be helpful to take a look at the National Employer Playbook: Strategies for Immigrant Inclusion In Canadian Workplaces. It provides an overview of best practices related to hiring and integrating new Canadians into your organization.” Whether you’re successful or not in your first attempt to find a new employee working with a welcome centre, you always have the option to build this relationship and re-visit this strategy when future opportunities come up.

Scenario #2: Looking to hire many employees – access a Dedicated Service Channel

Some organizations need to hire many employees over a couple of years. In these situations, organizations may be open to considering international talent but struggle with how to navigate government programs. However, there are some ways to save yourself some time if you know the right places to look, such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Mills explains, “If your organization is going through a larger hiring period, let’s say 30-40 employees over a couple of years, you could qualify for a dedicated representative from IRCC through their Dedicated Service Channel. The benefit with this program is that you have direct contact with an IRCC staff member to guide you through the process and answer your questions. While this does not speed up the immigration process, it does save time as you get to talk to an actual person as opposed to a generic email.” If you’re interested, just keep in mind that this program requires a designated referral partner to vouch for your organization before you can take advantage of it.

Scenario 3: Looking to hire for a highly specialized role – access the Global Talent Stream

One of Canada's advantages related to talent is our immigration programs. There are many different pathways to citizenship in Canada, and these programs make Canada an attractive place for global talent to work. If you’re looking for someone to fill a highly specialized role at your organization but can't find them locally, look at the Global Talent Stream - Category A program. This program runs through Employment and Social Development Canada and qualified companies receive priority Labour Market Impact Assessment processing to fill a unique and specialized position. If you’ve identified a candidate and have a referral partner, this program offers an expedited immigration process to add them to your organization. If you find yourself in the scenario where the position you’re trying to fill isn’t categorized as highly specialized but you are still having trouble filling it locally, you can also review a list of jobs that automatically qualify for a quicker process to get talent into your office through the Global Talent Stream - Category B program.

Before you post to the same job boards or exhaust the same Linkedin contacts to find your next hire, try thinking outside the box (and outside the country). By leveraging opportunities to bring qualified new Canadians into your organization, you will not only be adding to the diversity of your workforce, but also accessing a stream of untapped talent that many others often overlook.v





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