|
Rules eased for temp workers |
|
|
|
By Seanna Hunt » A new government initiative to help employers in Western Canada deal with mounting labour shortages could mean good news for many foreign job-seekers.
Firms in the booming provinces of Alberta and British Columbia can now hire foreign workers in certain occupations a lot more easily if they cannot find skilled people from within Canada.
The easing of requirements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program were announced by Immigration Minister Monte Solberg and Human Resources Minister.
“Employers in Alberta and British Columbia are truly having a hard time finding enough workers,” said Solberg. “The improvements we are announcing are making it easier, faster, and less costly for employers to hire temporary foreign workers.”
“These new initiatives will assist employers by reducing overall costs and make it two to four weeks faster for employers to hire temporary foreign workers,” added Finley.
The changes include:
- Regional lists of occupations under pressure. These lists will cut the recruitment wait time for employers. Employers in certain regions who face critical labour shortages may now be eligible to follow shorter, simpler and less costly advertising requirements to recruit the workers they need.
- Providing better information for employers. A step-by-step guide has been developed specifically for employers who need to hire temporary foreign workers.
- Creating federal provincial working groups. Working groups in Alberta and British Columbia will speed the identification of existing and emerging skill shortages and determine the best ways the foreign worker program can help address these shortages.
In addition to these initiatives, Temporary Foreign Worker Units announced in Vancouver and Calgary last August are now fully operational and providing advice to employers seeking to employ temporary foreign workers.
Alberta’s Minister of Human Resources and Employment, Mike Cardinal, said he was pleased that this federal initiative is beginning in Alberta.
“Alberta employers have been asking for clearer information and quicker processes for recruiting temporary foreign workers - these actions by the federal government are a good step in the right direction,” he said.
|
Newsfile 