I came across an interesting editorial today written by Rick Spence for the Financial Post. The article, entitled “Why not hire newcomers?” also appears in the Montreal Gazette, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal, the Ottawa Citizen and many others.
The stats are surprising, considering the skills shortages felt by businesses across Canada:
A survey by the Canadian federation of Independent Business shows 78% of small business owners reported not hiring any recent immigrants between 2003 and 2006.
The article, featuring an interview with the Indian-born President of Pitney Bowes, Deepak Chopra, highlights the benefits of hiring foreign-trained professionals as well as some tips to “help more businesses benefit from Canada’s cultural diversity.”
Chopra leads by example, not only utilizing the skills of a global workforce but also providing ongoing support and training to help break down cultural barriers. For example, at least 40 senior staff members at Pitney Bowes are mentoring new immigrants through The Mentoring Partnership program offered by TRIEC.
According to Spence, Chopra recommends the following three tactics:
- Engage in strategic planning
- Get to know other cultures
- Form an advisory board
We’d like to add a 4th tip to the list:
You guessed it… Career Bridge.
Our paid internship program for Internationally Qualified Professionals has not only provided incredible opportunities to skilled immigrants, it as also provided our clients with incredible talent. Most people know we work with numerous medium and large organizations across Canada such as RBC and the Government of Ontario. Well, small businesses hire Career Bridge interns too.
So while 78% of small businesses hadn’t hired immigrants between 2003 and 2006, we know of numerous small businesses working with us today to bring international skills and knowledge to their workplaces, such as Interkom, Polar Mobile, AMR Process Inc. and many others.