With the anticipated resource projects coming to BC, it is critical that communities develop strategies to get the right people in the right jobs at the right time. The first place to start is within the community. But when there aren’t enough people in an area to draw from, then it's time to look further afield. And that is where BC’s skilled immigrants come in.
Every year, approximately 40,000 immigrants settle in BC, but very few move outside of Metro Vancouver. Yet, we know that the whole province has much to offer underemployed or unemployed immigrants living in BC; both good jobs and great communities.
It takes leadership, vision and planning to address labour shortages in a way that works for employers and for the community as a whole — which is why we are delighted to be partnering with employers, associations, educators and communities to bring employers and community stakeholders together to share information and develop solutions that will help attract skilled immigrants to the province.
At IEC-BC, we don't have all the answers. There is no silver bullet for this complex issue — which is why I'm confident that together we can develop strategies that work for the needs of this region’s employers, businesses and communities, for BC skilled immigrants, and for our province as a whole.
