Federal Government Releases Panel Report on Employment Challenges of New Canadians

Ottawa, Ontario, April 13, 2015 — The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development, released the Panel on Employment Challenges of New Canadians’ report on innovative approaches and challenges related to licensing, hiring and integration of immigrants. Engineers Canada’s Chief Executive Officer, Kim Allen, FEC, P.Eng. was a member of the panel that met with over 150 organizations involved in the issue of employment for new Canadians.

The Panel’s report, “Survival to Success: Transforming Immigrant Outcomes,” makes six recommendations to better integrate immigrants into the Canadian labour market:

1. Require each regulated occupation to develop a single national standard and point of contact and insist that skilled immigrants take the initiative to have their qualifications assessed prior to arriving in Canada.
2. Develop a broader strategy for alternative careers with a more prominent role for regulators that will support newcomers as part of the licensing process.
3. Foster leadership, support and a shared sense of responsibility among all stakeholders for helping immigrants find jobs that match their skills.
4. Establish a “Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group for Better Immigrant Employment Outcomes.”
5. Produce more coordinated labour market information targeted at newcomers.
6. Educate communities on how to increase retention outside large metropolitan areas.

“I am honoured to have been a member of the Panel on Employment Challenges of New Canadians,” said Kim Allen, FEC, P.Eng. “Working on the Panel was an excellent opportunity to speak with stakeholders and experts across the country to help address an issue of importance to the country and engineering profession.”

Engineers Canada is excited to continue working with Employment and Social Development Canada to address some of the challenges faced by newcomers that are highlighted in the report.

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