TORONTO – Canadian companies may find it easier than ever to attract top, high-skilled labour from around the world.
Minister of Employment, Workplace Development and Labour Patty Hajdu on Thursday helped launch the country’s Global Skills Strategy, a plan she says will bring new skills to Canada, leading to the creation of even more jobs.
The changes will establish a two-week standard for processing work visas and drop the work-permit requirement for short-term highly skilled workers intending to work in Canada for 30 days or less over a 12-month period.
Hajdu and Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains made the announcement in Toronto, where they said the global talent stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker program will launch on June 12.
"When companies in Canada can thrive and grow, they create more jobs. Our government's Global Skills Strategy will give employers a faster and more predictable process for bringing in top talent and new skills to Canada, creating economic growth and more middle-class jobs for Canadians."
The new initiative streamlines the process and helps Canadian companies fill “demonstrated gaps” in the country’s labour market.
The program will see a list of high-demand occupations created, with input from labour experts and other key stakeholders.
The updated strategy will track commitments by employers to create jobs, transfer knowledge and train Canadian workers, which in turn the government believes will lead to new investment at home.
Canada must step up its game or be left behind, suggested Bains, noting the global demand for skilled talent is growing, meaning competition is stiff.
"Canada continues to compete in a global innovation race. As technologies become more widely available to everyone, the only competitive edge for countries and businesses is the distinctive talent and creativity of their people,” Bains said in a release issued by the federal Liberal government.
“While skilled immigrants are now identifying Canada as a country of choice in which to apply their knowledge and ideas, we also need to prepare our homegrown talent for a rapidly changing job market. Our government wants to create good quality, high-paying jobs for the middle class and those working hard to join it."
It’s too difficult at the present time, said Peraso Technologies president and CEO Ronald Glibbery in the same release.
"The current visa process for bringing world-class foreign talent to Canada is not competitive. The fast-track initiative introduced today by the federal government will significantly assist Peraso in scaling the company to compete for business at a global level,” Glibbery said.
