Staffing and Recruiting > Recruiting Staff > Recruiting Newcomers to Canada

Recruiting Newcomers to Canada

As an employer, you want to hire the right person for the job. So, if you aren’t finding the staff you need, it may be time to broaden your horizons.

There’s a world of talent out there! Newcomers to Canada are often educated and skilled—even if it’s in a different profession.

Not only do newcomers have foreign-language skills, they also bring a fresh perspective and valuable insight into attracting and serving customers from other parts of the world.

Because they are willing to make enormous changes in their lives—like leaving their home country and embarking on the unknown—newcomers tend to be very motivated, adaptable and willing to try new things. There is also evidence that, if given a chance, they are more loyal to an employer.

Most importantly, as Canada becomes more culturally diverse, employees who come from outside Canada can help you provide more inclusive service—and that’s good for business.

Reaching Newcomers to Canada 

Recruiting newcomers for tourism job opportunities can be achieved through traditional recruiting methods and channels, such as job websites. However, you should also consider these methods:

• Contact organizations or businesses that serve culturally diverse groups in your community. They often have job boards, newsletters, weekly newspapers or events that could be used to publicize your job openings.
• Partner with immigrant-serving agencies in your community. They often function like employment agencies and can help find and pre-screen suitable candidates. 
• Explore how CTHRC’s Ready-to-Work Program can assist you with recruiting and improving the job-readiness of entry-level employees. The program also features on-going support and mentoring to participants and graduates. To find out about availability in your province, contact the tourism human resource organization nearest you.
• Take advantage of government programs and websites such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, provincial/territorial immigrant nominee programs, Post-Graduation Work Permit for International Students, www.hireimmigrants.ca or organizations such as Career Bridge.

Hiring Newcomers to Canada

Landed immigrants already have permission to work in Canada. The hiring process for them is no different than hiring a Canadian citizen.

Most foreign-trained workers who are not landed immigrants require a valid permit to work in Canada.

For employers interested in hiring a foreign worker on a temporary basis, there are three basic requirements: the job offer must be approved by Service Canada, the applicant must be assessed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and a work permit must be issued to the foreign worker by CIC. (In Quebec, employers must also obtain a separate certificate issued by the province.)

In several cases however, special exemptions apply. For example, foreign workers in some occupations and covered under certain labour mobility agreements do not need a certified job offer to work in Canada. In other cases, foreign workers in certain temporary jobs do not require a work permit from CIC.

For a good overview of the process, see Hiring Foreign Workers in Canada and the Employer’s Roadmap to Hiring and Retaining Internationally Trained Workers by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

For specific information on foreign worker programs that authorize employers to hire foreign workers on a temporary basis, click on any of the programs below:

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program helps employers address skill shortages by authorizing the temporary employment of foreign workers in Canada.

Work Permit Schemes for International Students and Graduates

Employers can hire foreign students who are currently enrolled in post-secondary institutions, or hire them after graduation through the government’s Post-Graduation Work Permit Program.

International Youth Programs

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) has set up several International Youth Programs which allow Canadian employers to hire young people from other countries between the ages of 18 and 35 for a year or more. Click here to view a chart with specific information on all the programs.

Labour Mobility Programs under Trade Agreements

Employers can contact their designated Temporary Foreign Worker Unit to ask whether foreign workers in certain occupations are covered by international agreements (e.g. NAFTA, GATS) and eligible to take up employment in Canada.

For information on immigration programs that help employers hire foreign workers on a continuing and permanent basis, explore the following programs: 

Provincial and Territorial Immigrant-nominee Programs

The programs help employers retain temporary foreign workers on a continuing basis through sponsorship of employee applications for permanent residence.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (points-system)

The point-system uses six selection criteria to assess applications from foreign nationals who wish to immigrate to Canada. Applicants get more points if they have a job offer from a Canadian employer.

Canadian Experience Class

This program allows employers to retain individuals who have recent Canadian work experience or who recently graduated and worked in Canada.

Visit our Resource Section for specific tools and resources that can help you attract and retain foreign workers under different immigration and labour mobility programs.