Women leaders issue call to action to reset, shape and advance an inclusive equitable recovery
Blog post by Tenzin Noryang, Associate Director of External Relations and Partnerships
Canada is a land of immigrants, and they play an essential role in contributing to the country’s economy and growth. As the Canadian economy continues to recover fast post-pandemic, the government has set a target to welcome 1.45 million newcomers by 2025 to address the labour shortage and sustain economic growth. The working-age population has never been older, with 20% of it being close to retirement. To replace this population soon to retire, the declining birth rate is a concern. Canada is facing a shortage of skilled labour force, making it imperative for the government to bring in more people to fuel economic growth.
On January 17th, Skills for Change hosted the first Spotlight Series of 2023, to discuss Canada’s economic growth and immigration trends, with guests from different sectors: Oumar Dicko, National Director of Government Partnerships at Windmill Microlending, Sunil Johal, Professor of Public Policy at University of Toronto, and Cosmina Morariu, Partner at Fragomen.
The conversation centered around the record-intake of economic migrants, the country’s readiness for such a big influx, cross-sectoral partnerships and solutions, and the need for a new paradigm that values global and international experience. The panelists tackled challenges faced by newcomers such as under-employment, systemic oppression and racism, and the importance of easy access to equivalency processes, licensing, and social infrastructure such as healthcare, schools, and housing.
Sunil Johal pointed out the barriers faced by internationally trained professionals in obtaining credential recognitions and called for embracing international experience and leveraging the diversity of thought and innovation that newcomers bring, rather than limiting newcomers into the narrow box of “Canadian experience.”
Oumar Dicko stressed the need for Canada to remain an attractive destination for newcomers and the need for investments in social infrastructure to support their integration into the community. He discussed how the government can play a role by partnering with others to remove red tape around processes, making it easier for people to come to Canada on an immigrant Visa.
Cosmina highlighted the importance of easy access to equivalency processes and licensing, as well as providing for housing, healthcare, and school and daycare services to ensure newcomers are set up for success, not failure. She shared the need for reducing bureaucracy around the immigration process and suggested looking at successful processes in other jurisdictions to making changes in Canada to make the process more efficient.
All the panelists underscored the importance of wrap-around services for integration and long-term success of newcomers and called for collaboration between different levels of government and non-profit organizations, universities, and providers to help newcomers succeed and contribute to society. Sunil highlighted the speed issue, and shared that the longer someone is out of the market, the more challenging it becomes for them to get back in.
Nearly 100 participants joined the conversation, and it was clear that cross-sectoral partnerships are needed to build faster and more innovative solutions to existing challenges. The conversation emphasized the need for a new paradigm that highlights and values global and international experience, and immigrant-serving agencies like Skills for Change play a crucial role in serving the growing number of newcomers in the coming years.
In conclusion, the record-intake of economic migrants presents both challenges and opportunities for Canada’s economic growth. With the government’s target to welcome 1.45 million newcomers by 2025, cross-sectoral partnerships and investments in social infrastructure are necessary to support newcomer’s full integration and success in the country.
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If you missed the conversation, click here for a recording of the event. Do watch, share and keep the conversation going!
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