As Canada’s population ages and the birthrate declines, BC businesses can look to the Federal Government’s foreign worker program to strengthen their workforce.
Creating opportunities for skilled people
With challenges in the global job market, Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW) provides international workers with great opportunities for success. Bouchra Zerouali is an employee of A&W in Richmond, where she has been employed since she moved to Canada from Lyon, France in 2008. She obtained her two-year work permit through the TFW program, and has since been approved to stay in Canada under the Provincial Nominee Program. Bourchra has had a very supportive work environment since moving to BC and says, “From the outset, they told me that if I needed anything, just phone – and I’ve not been let down.” She expects a long career with A&W and looks forward to continuing to move through the ranks of the company. “I wouldn’t consider working for anyone else,” she said.
Addressing labour and skills shortages in the Tourism Industry
From many employers, filling positions can sometimes be challenging – especially in BC’s Tourism Industry.
Many of BC’s most popular tourist destinations have faced ongoing staffing shortages and high employee turnover. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW) has been one tool that has helped many of the industry’s best address their long-term staffing needs. Read about some of the success stories below:
Lower Staff Turnover
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler has hired over 75 workers from other countries since 2007 through the TFW program. They looked into the TFW program after they were unable to fill many of their positions locally or through holiday visa applicants. Since they began using the TFW program they have seen a dramatic drop in their staff turnover rate – from 66 per cent (06/07) to 26.9 per cent today.
Filling Vacant Positions
The Prestige Hotels and Resorts Group was in a similar situation and was unable to fill housekeeping positions in many of their Thompson Okanagan and Kootenay locations. Many of their local ads would go completely unanswered. As a result, Prestige took part in a pilot program bringing in two housekeeping staff from the Philippines. The program has been a success from its inception, and after four years, Prestige now employs 28 foreign staff.
After two years, workers brought to Canada under the TFW program have the opportunity to transition to the Provincial Nominee Program, which gives the worker permanent residency. Once the worker is successfully nominated, the worker may move on to other employment – however Terry Schneider, Executive Vice-President of Prestige Hotels and Resorts says, “Were hoping that the loyalty we’ve shown them will keep them with us.” And their loyalty to their foreign staff is paying off – only one of Prestige’s foreign employees has returned to their home country, while several have been promoted within the organization.
Qualified employees in it for the long haul
The TFW program has also been a great staffing resource for the remote Wickaninnish Inn, located in Tofino, BC. With the two-year commitment made from foreign workers through the TFW program, the Inn is not only able to select staff from a large international pool of qualified workers, but they are also able to save on training and recruitment costs. Melody McLorie, Director of Human Resources at the Inn said, “We’ve all gone through the arduous process of training and orienting workers, only to find that they don’t stay beyond their first pay cheque; with foreign workers, they’ve journeyed a long distance, and in some instances have been sponsored by an employer, which means they’re in it for the long haul.”
The Temporary Foreign Worker program has been a great asset for BC’s Tourism Industry and is helping ensure BC’s companies remain strong.
For more BC Temporary Foreign Worker success stories click here.
Source: www.GO2hr.ca
Links for Businesses
Steps to hiring a temporary foreign worker
An Employer’s Guide: Quick Links to Hiring Foreign Workers (pdf)