People choose Canada for the Canadian dream, in part, because of our universal, public healthcare and our publicly funded school systems. Often, they come for a better education and life for their children.
SEIU-West Workers of Colour Multicultural Mentorship Committee (WocMMC) recently interviewed Dirk Propp, the founder of an immigration service provider in Saskatchewan, to discuss our current labour shortage and their platform for supporting workers to find jobs and for employers to find staff. Have a read:
I grew up in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and after I finished school, I decided to travel the world teaching English. I loved seeing the world, but realized quickly how great life in Canada was. As a descendent of immigrants, I wanted others to have that opportunity to call Canada home. I also wanted to allow businesses to find the skilled workers they need to help our economy and meet consumer needs.
What difficulties did you face starting this business?
Shortly after starting out, my wife and I started a family. It was a bit scary starting a new business while being responsible for a baby, but I was passionate about wanting to help others change their lives with new opportunities in Canada.
When I started, the biggest challenge was learning, getting training and gaining trust. To be a licensed consultant, I needed a bachelors' degree, proof of English fluency, Canadian Immigration Consultants diploma, membership with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, a licensing exam, immigration insurance and a license and insurance bonds in each province.
Tell us how you provide immigration services differently:
I'm passionate about building user friendly software to match employers with employees based on skills. It's taken time and revisions since 2007 to create a platform to streamline processes. It's been a labour of love to make dreams come true for people.
We've helped hundreds of businesses and thousands of people. Our focus is software, but we also help businesses and individuals. We have expert contractors who can speak multiple languages. We have completed 1,400 employer applications and just over 2,500 individual applications since 2018. Our new platform, launched in October 2023, further improves the process and increases efficiency for both employers and workers.
What is the process for hiring immigrants?
When the employer indicates they have a shortage, the goal is to fill those positions with local people through ad campaigns. Our software is useful to help find workers. It highlights Canadian workers to make it easy for employers to see who is here and ready to work. Canadians have a first right of refusal; the platform indicates which foreign people are qualified then removes foreign workers that are not qualified.
If the employer is unable to find any local workers, the next step is to apply to the federal government to request approval to hire temporary foreign workers. This process is called Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
What are the negatives about immigration?
Some negatives about immigration are that there is a misconception and miscommunication in Canada and worldwide about what is possible for employers and for international workers.
An influx of international students has increased the housing shortage, causing discrimination. Just recently, the Federal Government has announced that not all temporary foreign workers get to stay, Student's spouses can't work in Canada while they attend school. The exception is if the student is pursuing a masters' degree or a doctorate, then their spouse may join them on an open work permit.
Where are our newcomers coming from?
There is a focus on high-chance-of-success countries with the fastest immigration processing times such as Mexico and the Philippines. Employers want the best quality workers and most possible applicants to choose from so that they can find the best qualified candidates.
There are Free Trade Agreements that influence where an employer can find workers, you can find out more about these agreements here. Exemptions are the Francophone Mobility Program, Refugees, LMIAs, and Provincial Nominee programs.
What are you hearing about the process of immigration from newcomers and what can Canada do to make it an easier to understand process?
Based on the recent announcements by the federal government for low wage LMIA's and international student program caps, the process is much more difficult.
Provincial immigration is based on a points system and not many people know that they can get an extra 20 points if they already have family living in Saskatchewan. Our country recognizes that people are more likely to stay if they have family here to build a new life with. It can be tricky to come to Canada without a job offer. A person will get 600 points if nominated from the province, so that is a great way to immigrate here.
Canada could make it easier for newcomers in the process of immigration by not having constant changes. New rules are continually announced without prior warning, so you must be aware of the changes, and where to look for them as you go through the process.
There is a new Saskatchewan legislation called Immigration Services Act that I think is a positive because it provides a level playing field and ensures all employers and foreign workers are following the rules and being treated fairly.
What's the biggest myth about Immigration?
The biggest myth is that it's too expensive. For a foreign employee, the cost works out to be a dollar extra per hour for a two-year work permit. Employers need to consider the decreased cost of turnover. That offsets the cost of immigration.
There's also a myth about cheap labour. Employers have a responsibility to ensure Canadians have first of refusal by offering the industry average median rate. They need to advertise these jobs with remuneration to make sure they can't fill these jobs with local workers before advertising internationally. Foreign workers are paid industry average wages as set out by the government. Applicants need to do their research and educate themselves on what their options are. That goes a long way towards being successful.
There's also the myth that if a temporary foreign worker has a two-year permit with an employer and the employer is abusive, that the worker can't quit. Temporary foreign workers are required to be treated fairly. If they are not, then the worker can quit and make a request for an open work permit. This is a one-time offer only. The worker can find a new employer with a valid LMIA, and request a new work closed permit or may be able to use a provincial nominee program.
Is there a worker shortage?
Jobbank listed 110,000-115,000 jobs previously. For the last two years, Canada has been hovering around 135,000-165,000 posted jobs. So there is definitely an increased need for more workers.
Is there a shortage of workers in other countries too?
Yes, Canada is not alone in needing more workers. Germany, the US, the UK, and Japan are also looking for foreign workers to help meet consumer needs. We are definitely in competition for workers.