OPINION: The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is one of the strongest methods that Canada has to address the immediate shortage of labor—but there is room for improvement.
A recent study from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business titled “Labour shortages are back with a vengeance” found that 54% of businesses could not find all the staff they need, with only 42% reporting being able to fully staff their operations. Some small businesses have made changes to increase their competitiveness in the job market, such as increasing wages, but only 22% of those who increased wages found it effective. Almost two-thirds (63%) of businesses reported that a lack of candidates with the necessary skills/experience was the main bottleneck to their labour problems. While jobs may be available, employers still need to have employees with the skills to meet their business’ needs. Lack of candidates, qualification mismatches and labour market disruptions continue to drive labour shortages. Small businesses were already experiencing a significant labour shortage at the beginning of 2020, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the situation. Industries that were locked down for prolonged periods, like hospitality, have seen a mass exodus as workers upskilled or switched to other jobs or sectors.
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Those assigned to Canadian officer 'DM10032' finally getting permanent residency after years-long wait.
After being stuck in immigration limbo for years, people around the world who had permanent residency applications assigned to one Canadian immigration officer — notoriously known among them as a worker who's fallen "asleep," "useless" or idle — are finally seeing significant movement on their files. Some immigrant hopefuls have even landed in Canada in the past few weeks while others are booking one-way tickets with newly stamped passports in hand — only a couple of months after CBC News told their stories about the torturous wait under an officer only known to them as code "DM10032." The officer had left their applications largely untouched for years, prompting questions about their employee status or even the person's existence. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed to CBC in January that DM10032 was an active employee, but didn't explain why dozens of applicants assigned to this officer were left in the dark since they applied to become permanent residents in 2019. It said it doesn't "comment on personal details." Now it appears the department has largely cleared a backlog of permanent residency (PR) applicants waiting for more than two years under DM10032. Jean Boulet, Quebec's immigration minister, says the province is prepared to accept Ukrainian migrants.
"Quebec has a great deal of empathy for the people of Ukraine," Boulet said on Monday. "We want to let them know that Canada and Quebec are welcoming places, and we will do everything we can to ensure that they have a successful stay in Quebec." However, he stated that he had no idea how many people would attend or when they will arrive. "We recognize the magnitude of the issue and will ensure that we have the capacity to welcome and integrate them as much as possible," Boulet said. At a news conference on Monday, Boulet discussed a prospective flood of Ukrainian refugees while announcing a $5 million investment in Montreal-based community organizations that help immigrants and refugees assimilate into the city. Some of these organizations have stated that they are preparing to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, but that they do not expect a big number. "Most refugees will likely travel to other European countries before arriving in Canada," said Jean-François Veilleux, a spokesman for the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI). |