Canada needs more Skilled Immigrants

As the Canadian economy continues to improve post-recession, it may be difficult to imagine that our economy would have a hard time finding skilled workers to fill vacancies. However, according to the British Columbia Labour Market Outlook: 2009-2019, in the coming decade BC will depend on immigrants to fill about one in three job openings.
To make a tough situation even more challenging, last summer an article in the Times Colonist (June 18, 2010) indicated that the number of skilled workers immigrating to BC had hit a 15-year low. In his article titled, ‘Skilled immigrant-worker need to skyrocket by 2020’, Ian Shelton reported that according to BC Stats numbers and provincial government targets, about 15,100 skilled workers settled in BC last year; it is the lowest total since 1994.
On a local level, we are confident that the capacity for the Comox Valley to welcome newcomers and immigrants to the community is strong. The work of the Welcoming & Inclusive Communities Roundtable has demonstrated, through a variety of activities and events, that the community embraces diversity.
If you would like more information about meeting the labour demands in these challenging times, have a look at the attached article. And if you find yourself with a new neighbor or see a newcomer in the community, don’t be afraid to reach out and connect. Findings from a WICR survey indicated that word of mouth is a common way for people to obtain information. Perhaps you can direct someone to much needed community resources, help them to find a job or secure a volunteer experience.