International Recruitment – The Pros and Cons
By Dawn Robson
With a strong economy and recent data from BC Statistics indicating an unemployment rate of 4.8%, the ability to find qualified and ready workers is challenging businesses all over the province. Over the past year, some restaurants in Victoria have had to close their doors, or reduce opening hours because of an inability to find culinary staff. Technology firms have not been able to expand or capitalize on business opportunities due to staffing challenges and construction firms have had to postpone work because they have been impacted by the inadequate number of tradespeople.
When all efforts have been exhausted to find a Canadian worker, and in order to meet business needs, some employers have explored the option of hiring foreign workers. While this tactic has both benefits and challenges, it has been successful for many organizations.
Benefits
- Many individuals who are able to move to Canada for work are focused on making a successful long term transition and may be interested in pursuing additional work permits and permanent residency. As such, they tend to be committed, diligent and hard-working.
- International employees will have the required skills and interest in doing the job. As an employer, you can specify a trade certificate or post-secondary requirement in the job requirements. In addition, interviewing the candidate will help to ensure that you have the right fit for your business.
- There are firms that will help you locate the right candidate on the international market. These firms will be able to help with the legwork required to bring the person to Canada, and support them in getting the appropriate working visas.
- Because the business has to qualify to bring in a foreign worker, the successful hire is provided the visa/work permit as long as they work for the approved business. Employers can benefit from the stability in staffing that this aspect of the program provides. It is beneficial to have an ethnically diverse workforce for collaboration and inclusion. New workers may speak languages and have knowledge of cultures that can help you develop new local and global markets for your business. Based on their experience, they may bring fresh perspectives into your organization, stimulating new thinking and introducing more effective ways of doing business. They may also be able to link you to other prospective employees and connect your business to useful national or international organizations.
Challenges
- With an immediate business need, many employers want someone to start tomorrow. The process to recruit foreign workers has strategic business implications and does take time, usually from 6 – 12 months.
- The employer will have administrative work and costs associated with hiring a foreign worker. These vary based on the type of program utilized.
- If you are bringing someone into Canada as a temporary foreign worker, there may be other financial commitments that you need to consider including travel costs for the worker, accommodation options (if you are located in a remote area where this is a particular challenge) and BC Medical for the first 3 months (until the foreign worker is eligible for the MSP program).
- There is a misconception that foreign workers can be paid less than a Canadian working in the same role. This is not the case, and employers must commit to providing competitive wages for all staff, regardless of where they are from.
In this time of labour shortages, it is critical that you look at all of your options in order to find the best people. If you are interested in learning more about international recruitment as an option for your business, please connect with Alison Langford a.langford@chemistryconsulting.ca.