Transcript Document

Temporary Foreign Workers
(TFWs) – part of the solution
Canadian Home Builders’ Association
NETAC Meeting
June 6, 2008
Ottawa, Ontario
Workforce Realities
1,100
1,000
900
800
'000s
32%
Employment & Labour Force, Construction Industry, Canada
29%
(55% increase in employment 1998 - 2007)
26%
Labour Force
700
Employment
23%
600
20%
500
17%
400
14%
300
200
100
11%
Unemployment Rate
(Right Axis)
0
1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015
CSC trades / occupation are 70% of the Construction Industry
Source: Statistics Canada and Construction Sector Council (Preliminary)
8%
5%
Workforce Realities
Net Employment Change & Construction Retirements Canada, 2007-2016
190,000
170,000
160,000
150,000
135,000
130,000
110,000
90,000
70,000
50,000
Net Employment Gain
Total Retirements
295,000 workers need to be recruited and trained by 2016
Source: Statistics Canada and Construction Sector Council (Preliminary)
Workforce Realities
Cumulative Construction Workforce Retirements as % of 2007 Workforce, 2007 - 2016
19%
CAN
NL
25%
NB
24%
QC
23%
PEI
23%
NS
23%
MB
20%
BC
20%
19%
ON
SK
18%
AB
10%
15%
13%
15%
18%
20%
23%
Source: Statistics Canada and Construction Sector Council (Preliminary)
25%
28%
Workforce Realities
Cumulative Retirements as % of 2007 Workforce, Construction Managers, 2007 - 2016
20%
BC
23%
15%
AB
20%
18%
SK
23%
20%
MB
23%
19%
ON
24%
23%
QC
26%
23%
PEI
31%
24%
NB
28%
23%
NS
32%
25%
NL
10%
34%
13%
15%
18%
20%
23%
Managers
25%
28%
30%
33%
35%
All Trades
Source: Statistics Canada and Construction Sector Council (Preliminary)
38%
Workforce Realities
Cumulative Retirements as % of 2007 Workforce, Contractors & Supervisors, 2007 - 2016
20%
BC
22%
15%
AB
18%
18%
19%
SK
20%
MB
24%
19%
ON
21%
23%
QC
27%
23%
PEI
26%
24%
NB
27%
23%
NS
27%
25%
NL
10%
31%
13%
15%
18%
20%
Supervisors
23%
25%
28%
30%
All Trades
Source: Statistics Canada and Construction Sector Council (Preliminary)
33%
Temporary Foreign Workers
(TFWs) – part of the solution
TFWs – part of the solution
Immigration programs that target skilled workers:

Economic Immigrant Program
•
•

includes both skilled worker class and business class immigrants
not a significant source of supply of workers in the skilled trades for
construction industry - related to the point scoring system
Provincial Nominee Program
•
•

operates under bilateral agreements between the federal government
and provincial governments and involves provinces to a greater
degree in the selection of immigrants.
nomination through this process removes the necessity to meet CIC
point screening requirements
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
•
applicants are allowed temporary entry into Canada if they have an
offer for work, meet the usual visitor requirements, intend to stay in
Canada only temporarily, and have the skills and qualifications needed
to perform the work.
TFWs – part of the solution
Immigration programs that target skilled workers (cont’d):

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

CEC will facilitate the transition from temporary status to permanent
residence for temporary foreign workers and international students
with Canadian degrees and Canadian work experience

For Temporary Foreign Workers - workers who hold a secondary
school diploma, trade certificate or apprenticeship and have a least
two years of recent (i.e. within three years preceding the application
for CEC) full-time Canadian skilled work experience

Applicants will be selected if they meet the parameters noted above,
have legally come to Canada to work or study, have valid temporary
status in Canada at the time of application, and have moderate official
language proficiency
TFWs – part of the solution

TFW study provided an
opportunity to examine the entire
process that involves a number
of stakeholder
 Describe the scope of the TFW
program
 Identify entry points, process,
organizations involved, and roles
they play in bringing workers into
Canada
 Describe work preparedness steps
 Identify gaps in services and
supports
 Determine what is working well
and what needs improving
TFWs – part of the solution
 Key government players in the TFW process:
 Human Resources & Social Development Canada
 Labour market opinion prepared by Service Canada
 Citizenship and Immigration Canada
 Applications for work permits & issues temporary resident visas
 Canada Border Services
 Screen workers & issues work permits
 Provincial Apprenticeship Authorities
 Assessing foreign credentials & experience
TFWs – part of the solution
 TFWs are part of how the construction
industry is meeting short term demand:
 Temporary foreign workers are currently filling critical human
resource gaps within the Canadian construction industry
 Being utilized as a provincial / territorial / regional solution to
meet demand for construction services and resulting from
growing retirement rates
 Study revealed that TFWs are meeting peak demand needs,
especially in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario
TFWs – part of the solution
 Only a small proportion of TFWs work in
construction
 In 2005, just under 100,000 TFWs came into
Canada for all sectors of the economy
 In 2006, 165,000
 In 2005, just over 3,000 of those TFWs worked
in occupations related to construction
 3% of all TFWs worked in construction
TFWs – part of the solution
• TFWs are small part of total construction
workforce
 Number of TFWs in the Canadian construction industry almost
doubled between 2004 and 2005 - from 1,765 to 3,056
 Growing tends – recent numbers for Alberta show dramatic and
exponential growth
 In 2005, total construction labour force was just over 1 million
workers - in that same year, new TFW work permits issued for
construction work was just over 3,000
 This was less than half of 1% of workforce
TFWs – part of the solution
 Considerable investment bringing TFWs into
Canada - borne by the industry (employer and
labour groups) and the TFW
 Estimates range between $12,000 to $18,000 to
bring in a TFW
 Anecdotal information from industry interviews
 Examples include industry time and effort of
navigating through a complex system and the
hard costs borne by the TFW applying for a
work permit and cost of recruiters
TFWs – part of the solution
2005 Work Permits Issued by Province
 In 2005, Construction industry
TFWs were concentrated in
three provinces
1200
1000
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


800
600
400
Ontario – 1,009
British Columbia – 882
Alberta – 749
All other provinces – 815
200
0
2005
BC
AB
SK
MN
ON
QC
NB
NS
PE
NL
 TFW highly utilized in
provinces with highest
concentration of construction
activity
TFWs – part of the solution
Top Occupations in Alberta
Work Permits Granted in 2005
Steamfitters/Pipefitters
45
IronWorkers
51
Trades/Helpers/Labourers
58
Carpenters
62
Insulators
127
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
TFWs – part of the solution
Top Occupations in British Columbia
Work Permits Granted in 2005
Millwrights
53
Industrial Electricians
63
Steamfitters/Pipefitters
73
Res./Comm. Installers
94
Carpenters
111
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
TFWs – part of the solution
Top Occupations in Ontario
Work Permits Granted in 2005
Bricklayers
41
Construction
Managers
58
Industrial Mechanics
83
Carpenters
131
Steamfitters/Pipefitters
331
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
TFWs – part of the solution
 Alberta has seen exponential growth in the use of
the TFW program for construction in 2006 and 2007
 Modest increases in Ontario and British Columbia
Labour
Market
Opinions
2004
Approved
2005
Approved
2006
Approved
May
2007
Approved
May
2007
Pending
Alberta
386
1,326
3,801
3,135
4,697
British
Columbia
968
1,946
1,413
1,306
796
1,497
2,202
2,446
1,251
234
Ontario
TFWs – part of the solution
Country of Last Know n Perm anent Address
Tem porary Foreign Workers Entering Canada
(2004 - 2006)
Finland
Hungary
Chile
Slovak
2000
Malaysia
1800
India
Sw itzeland
1600
1400
1000
China
Italy
Portugal
Rom ania
800
600
400
200
0
 4,351 came from a total of 20
countries
Ukraine
South Africa
1200
 4,851 TFWs worked in the
Canadian construction
industry in 2004/2005
Poland
Mexico
Germ any
Philipines
Unkow n
UK
US
 Over 50%, 2,553 of these
workers came from just four
countries:
1,366 – United States
439 – United Kingdom
439 – Philippines
309 - Germany
TFWs – part of the solution
RECRUITMENT SOURCE COUNTRIES
INSTITUTIONAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL OCCUPATIONS
Occupation
Top Countries of Last Permanent Residence
Industrial Electrician
Italy, Philippines, Norway, Estonia
Steamfitters / Pipefitter
United States, Philippines, United Kingdom, South Africa, Poland
Boilermaker
China, United States
Ironworkers
United Kingdom, United States, Philippines, South Africa, India
Skilled Welders
United States, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Philippines, Thailand
Industrial Instrument Technicians and
Mechanics
United States, Germany
Power System Electricians
United States
Millwright / Industrial Mechanics
United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Malaysia
Crane Operator
United States, United Kingdom, Costa Rica
Heavy Equipment Operators
United States, Costa Rica, Germany, United Kingdom
Glazers
Netherlands
TFWs – part of the solution
RECRUITMENT SOURCE COUNTRIES
NEW HOME BUILDING AND RENOVATION OCCUPATIONS
Occupation
Top Countries of Last Permanent Residence
Carpenter
United States, Germany, Romania, Switzerland
Bricklayer
Portugal, Germany, Moldova, United States, United Kingdom
Tilesetter
United States, Uruguay, Germany, Estonia, France, Korea
Roofer/ Shingler
Portugal, United States, Norway, Serbia/Montenegro, United Kingdom
Insulators
United States
Painter/ Decorator
United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal
Floor Installer
United States, United Kingdom, Norway
Plasterer/Drywaller
United States, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Norway
Residential/ Commercial Installer
Slovak Republic, United States, Finland, Poland, Denmark
Trade Helpers/ Labourers
Mexico, United States, Philippines, India
TFWs – part of the solution
RECRUITMENT SOURCE COUNTRIES
CROSS-SECTORAL OCCUPATIONS
Occupation
Plasterers, Drywallers, Finishers
Electrician
Plumber
Elevator Constructors
Concrete Finisher
Refrigeration Mechanic
Other Trades Helpers & Labourers
Top Countries of Last Permanent Residence
Poland, United States, Norway, Serbia/Montenegro, United Kingdom
Italy, Philippines, Norway, Estonia
United States, Philippines, United Kingdom, South Africa, Poland
United States
China, United States
United Kingdom, United States, Philippines, South Africa, India
United States, Philippines
TFWs – part of the solution
RECRUITMENT SOURCE COUNTRIES
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OCCUPATIONS
Occupation
Top Countries of Last Permanent Residence
Construction Managers
United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden
CONTRACTORS AND SUPERVISORS
Electrical Trades
United States, United Kingdom
Pipefitting Trades
United States, South Africa
Metal Forming, Shaping
United States
Carpentry Trades
United States
Mechanic Trades
United States, Italy
Heavy Construction Equipment
United States, Germany, Austria, Germany
Other Construction Trades
United States, Japan, Netherlands, Austria, United Kingdom
TFWs – part of the solution
 Successes:
 High quality of foreign workers are meeting labour
requirements - - anecdotal from interviews
 Federal governments openness to work with industry to
ensure program relevance in meeting labour market needs
 Flexibility of the program in the range of TFWs entering
 Employer awareness of the program is growing
 Federal / provincial cooperation
 Working groups on TFW (Alberta and British Columbia)
TFWs – part of the solution
 Challenges:
 Construction is a small business community
 80 % of contractors have less than 15 employees
 No Human Resource Departments
 TFW system is complex and requires expertise to navigate
 Certain amount of misinformation and misconceptions circulating,
in part a result of a rapidly changing situation
 Different perspectives on how well it is working
 Many stakeholders want more monitoring and enforcement
 Government human resources insufficient to meet increased
demands
TFWs – part of the solution
 Services and Support Gaps
 Clear, accurate, up-to-date information
 Ongoing efforts needed to adjust the Canadian
immigration system
 Support to small and medium-sized firms
 Increased effective reporting, monitoring and enforcement
 Support for worker rights and responsibilities
 Partnerships with Immigrant Serving Agencies
TFWs – part of the solution
 Next Steps . . . . TFW Web Guide for Industry
 CSC is developing web based guide to help industry navigate
through the TFW process
 Describe the TFWs Human Resource (HR) process: Job
Analysis, Recruitment, Selection, Job Offer, Orientation and
Integration, and Retention
 Highlight roles played by multiple bodies – labour unions,
employers, construction associations, governments
 Checklist to make sure that you have not missed anything
 Provide a number of resources – phone line inquiries and links
to web sites – which can help you get answers to any other
questions
TFWs – part of the solution
 Next Steps . . . . TFW Web Guide for Workers
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Overview of the Construction Industry in Canada
Types of Jobs in Construction
Foreign Credential Recognition
Apprenticeship Training System
Finding a Job
Coming to Canada
o Visas, Applying for a Work Permit, Medical and Health Insurance etc . . .
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Rights and Responsibilities
Orientation and Integration
Staying In Canada
Useful Resources
Questions ?
Questions ?