Immigration Portal Update

1. Immigration Portal Update Going to Canada Immigration Portal: Working in Canada Workplace Skills Human Resources and Social Development Canada Date

2. Canada is increasingly looking to immigration to meet emerging labour market needs • To compete in the global economy Canada is dependent on the skills of its people. • By 2011, immigration will account for 100%of Canada’s net labour force growth and all net population growth in the next 25 years. - Domestic source still dominant, producing approximately 610,000 new entrants per year vs. approximately 124,000 from immigration 2004 • Attracting skilled immigrants is critical is critical to the country’s long-term economic success and prosperity.

3. Labour Market Outcomes of Recent Immigrants is Declining • According to the Statistics Canada’s Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants within two years 80% of immigrants find full time work; but only 42% is in their field mainly due to: • Lack of Canadian work experience • Non-recognition of credentials • Insufficient language proficiency

4. Canada’s Labour Market • Canada has a complex labour market that is not always readily understood by immigrants. • Regulated vs. non-regulated professions and trades • Occupational standards and titles may differ from those used in other countries • Provincial responsibility for regulation of profession and trades means varying requirements across the country • Processes for recognizing foreign credentials, skills and experience vary depending on the region and profession • Role of the unions in accessing employment for regulated trades • Without a full understanding of how to find and keep employment, foreign-trained workers become frustrated, discouraged and usually underemployed. • As a result, Canada fails to benefit from the very set of skills that contributed to the immigrant’s selection in the economic immigration category.

5. The Keys to Successful Economic Integration • We know that immigrants who are better prepared and have accurate and useful information, generally have greater success integrating into the labour market and economy once they arrive in Canada. • Stakeholders have identified the lack of comprehensive targeted accessible information for potential and new immigrants as an issue that must be addressed in order to ensure that the skills and qualifications that immigrants bring to Canada can be more fully utilized and can contribute to Canada’s economic and social growth. • Canada’s immigration, integration and employment challenges have not been represented in their entirety.

6. The Information Edge • With more customized information, services and tools, immigrants will be able to: • Learn more about the structure of Canada’s labour market; • Better understand the processes that they must undergo in order to work in their profession or trade; • See where there are skill shortages and employment opportunities; • Take any necessary steps before they leave their country of origin so as to facilitate the recognition of their qualifications when they arrive in Canada; • Temper their expectations concerning when, where and how they can find suitable employment.

7. Labour Market Needs of Prospective Immigrants: the ISP Perspective • Will my professional accreditation be recognized? • Will my education be recognized? • What are the steps required to get professional accreditation in Canada; what documents will I need and how long will this take? • Is the accreditation process different from one province to another? • Are there other types of work available while the accreditation process is underway? • Will the work experience from the country of origin be recognized? • What types of jobs are available in my area of expertise and where are these located? • What new skill sets (including language skills) will be needed in Canada? • How can I prepare a résumé for the Canadian market?

8. Immigrant Labour Market Information Needs: Prior to Coming to Canada • Prior to coming to Canada, the main information sources consulted were: • Websites offering job listings. • Websites of government departments and private organizations dealing with immigration, the labour market in Canada, education and training. • Discussions and email exchanges with friends and family members living in Canada. • Visits to Canadian embassies. • Immigration counsellors or lawyers specializing in immigration.

9. Immigrant Labour Market Information Needs: in Canada • Websites focused on job openings. • These are the sources most often consulted once in Canada as the first priority of most immigrants is finding work: • Classified ads in daily newspapers, consulted by many. • Networking, particularly with other recent immigrants. • Non-profit organizations that provide services to immigrants.

10. Immigrant Labour Market Information Needs: in Canada – Specific Needs • The recognition of professional degrees or certificates obtained elsewhere than in Canada. • Some types of employment requirements: union membership, accreditation in trade or professional associations, and particularly, the need for Canadian work experience. • The structure of the hidden job market and how to tap into this market. • Strategies for finding work in Canada from writing the résumé to handling the job interview.

11. Immigration Portal – Overview of HRSDC’s Role • Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) has partnered with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to enhance the Working in Canada section of the Going To Canada Immigration Portal (GTC-IP). • HRSDC’s role is to provide comprehensive information relating to • immigrant integration into Canada’s labour market including: • Targeted information on the labour market, employment, job search preparation and opportunities; • Foreign credential recognition; • Essential skills including on-line skills assessments; • Information, services and tools supporting learning opportunities towards attaining Canadian credentials • Language learning and assessment for employment • Workers’ rights and • Other topics related to integration into the labour market.

12.  The Working in Canada section of the Immigrant Portal offers streamlined information for workers who are immigrating.

13. Enhancements to the GTC Portal Working in Canada Enhancements Provision of Labour Market Information • Information bundles will enable immigrants to easily access and tailor a comprehensive information package to their needs in a simple, straightforward manner. • The information package will include: an occupational description, essential skills, labour market information and for regulated occupations, credential assessment information. • Tool ready for focus testing in February 2007.

14. 2006-2007 Enhancements to the GTC Portal LMI Guide • Help users navigate the range of labour market, career and employment information on the Portal by putting it in context for the potential immigrant. Essential Skills Self-Assessment Tool • Enhance user’s understanding of the Essential Skills required by the Canadian Labour Market. • Self-administered questionnaire providing users with a pre-assessment of how their skills match Canadian requirements. Skills Checklist • Will provide Canadian employment related requirements for specific occupations. Potential and new immigrants would be able to view Canadian employers’ requirements for specific jobs or develop their own profiles for their occupation.

15. Future Enhancements 2007-10 Working in Canada Labour Market Information Tool

16. There are currently numerous labour market resources available to individuals seeking employment in Canada. Most of these tools are available to clients via individual Web sites. Essential Skills Web site Work Destinations Web site LMI Web site NOC Web site Job Bank Web site Jobs etc. Web site Job Futures Web site Service Canada Newcomers Page HRSDC Web Site 16

17. Immigrant Navigator - Occupation Title Search 

18. Occupation Title Search Results

19. Occupation Title Confirmation

20. Location Selection

21. Report (step 1)

22. Report (step 2)