Temporary foreign workers were almost 10 times more prevalent in Canada’s healthcare sector last year than they were only five years earlier, in 2018, data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals.
In 2018, there were only 447 positions in the healthcare sector filled by temporary foreign workers, according to an analysis of that data by CBC News.
Last year, there were 4,336 such positions filled by temporary workers in Canada.
Canadian employers regularly recruit and hire foreign nationals through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) for these positions and many others.
Foreign nationals employed in Canada’s healthcare sector, most of them as nurses, orderlies and patient service associates, are only a small percentage of all temporary foreign workers in the country.
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The latest Statistics Canada data reveals just how important immigration has been to resolving labour shortages in Canada.
The number of jobs going begging for a lack of workers has fallen by 39.7 per cent over the past two years.
While there were 990,900 unfilled positions in Canada in the second quarter of 2022, that number of vacant positions had fallen to 597,725 by March this year, reports the statistical and demographic services agency.
“Immigrants contribute to our economy, not only by filling gaps in our labour force and paying taxes, but also by spending money on goods, housing and transportation.”
Statistics Canada reports that as of May 2021 immigrants aged 25 to 54 represented:
- more than 36 per cent of people working in accommodation and food services;
- nearly 38 per cent of those working in the transportation and warehousing sector;
- over 34 per cent of those working in professional, scientific and technical services, and;
- over 20 per cent of those working in construction.
“Economic immigration has always been the lifeblood of Canada’s economic success and has played a key role in the building of our great nation,” says Canadian Federation of Independent Business president and CEO Dan Kelly.
In a report earlier this year, Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services network, encouraged the federal government to remove any disincentives to immigration to Canada, including temporary immigration, and claimed any roadblocks to immigration could hamper the country’s economic growth.
Remove Disincentives To Immigration, Urges Deloitte
In Strengthening Canada’s Labour Market, the latest Deloitte report in its The Future Role Of Government series, Deloitte points out the rising cost of living and housing crisis are already making it harder for employers to attract skilled workers to Canada.
“In comparison, the United States attracts and retains talent through a larger economic market, a robust start-up ecosystem, educational opportunities, and favourable immigration policies for skilled workers, such as the H-1B visa for skilled workers and the O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary abilities,” notes that report.
In its bid to attract world-class talent, Canada needs to streamline its immigration processes and make them easier to access online, the report recommends.
“The current immigration process can be cumbersome and challenging, with finite government administration and case management resources,” the Deloitte report states.
“There are a lot of innovations that can help Canada establish an omnichannel, human-centred, digital immigration experience that is secure, equitable, inclusive, and transparent.”
In addition to the immigration programs themselves being accessible online, Deloitte is proposing that support services for immigrants also be online and easy to access.
“Once they land, newcomers and refugees would benefit from a digital platform that connects them to the necessary support systems and resources to create a seamless end-to-end experience as they integrate into the labour market and Canadian society,” notes the report.
Foreign nationals can gain their permanent residency in Canada through several economic immigration programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Federal Skilled Trade (FST), the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) or the regional economic development programs including the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) or Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP).
Through the Express Entry system, candidates’ profiles are then ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90-days.
Through a network of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories can also nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada when they have the specific skills required by local economies. Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.
Employers can also hire temporary workers though the International Mobility Program (IMP).
The Global Talent Stream (GTS), a part of the TFWP, can under normal processing situations lead to the granting of Canadian work permits and processing of visa applications within two weeks.