Newly arrived immigrants are having more difficulty finding jobs in Canada this year compared to 2022.
However, their employment prospects are still better than before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for July 2023.
The employment rate of recent core-aged immigrants (those who became landed immigrants in the previous five years) was 77.7%, down from 80% in July 2022.
Meanwhile, employment rates for older immigrants have remained steady. Although there was a year-over-year decline, the employment rate of recent core-aged immigrants in July 2023 remained higher than before the pandemic.
Across Canada, the employment rate remained unchanged, and the unemployment rate only increased slightly to 5.5%.
This is due to population growth outpacing employment growth from January to July 2023.
#Statistics_Canada, #statistics, #labour_force_survey, #employment
August 8, 2023
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released a report on racism in the department.
According to the IRCC 2022-23 Anti-Racism Employee Qualitative Research, 63% of employees rated racism as a problem.
Racism is more prevalent in foreign postings than in local offices. Participants reported incidents of managers mocking accents, not understanding, ignoring Locally Engaged Staff, and avoiding removing problematic employees.
The study was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights and surveyed 62 employees through online focus groups and interviews.
The participants included indigenous, black, non-black, racialized, and white employees. The report shows the need for strong intervention in the future.
#IRCC, #racism
August 8, 2023
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent comments on housing, stating that Canada's immigration system is broken.
Poilievre pledges to expedite entry for skilled immigrants in the building trades and base the Conservative government's immigration policy on the needs of private-sector employers, charities for refugee support, and family reunification.
Additionally, he promises to simplify job vacancy fulfillment for employers while ensuring access to housing and healthcare for newcomers.
Poilievre has also expressed concern about the number of international students relying on food banks and dying by suicide since the pandemic and has pledged to speed up the licensing process for doctors and nurses coming to Canada.
#Conservatives, #Pierre_Poilievre, #Trudeau, #immigration_to_Canada
August 7, 2023
On August 1, 2023, Marc Miller, the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced the first occupation-specific Express Entry draws for professionals working in skilled trades occupations.
Starting this week, Express Entry will also focus on candidates with trades expertise in plumbing, carpentry, and welding, attracting skilled talent to Canada’s construction sector. The selection rounds will continue throughout the year, alongside general invitations.
The Government of Canada changed the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022 to allow for the selection of immigrants based on key attributes that support economic priorities.
On May 31, 2023, Sean Fraser announced the launch of a category-based selection to welcome skilled newcomers with work experience in priority jobs as permanent residents.
#Express, #Entry, #Occupation_specific_draws, #EE_Skilled_Trades, #Skilled_Trades
August 4, 2023
