Where the jobs are (Part 1)

Credit to Author: Margaret Jetelina| Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:25:25 +0000

It’s no secret that the health care industry needs more workers, but it’s far from the only sector in Canada hanging up “Help Wanted” signs. Opportunities await across the country, particularly, for skilled immigrants.

Despite being in a global pandemic for nearly two years, the economic outlook is promising with many growing job opportunities in various sectors across the country. With an aging workforce, skills shortages and strong demand expected to continue, it’s a jobseekers’ market, and employers across sectors like health care, construction and IT, are in hiring mode.

That’s good news for skilled immigrants.

Barriers for skilled immigrants are breaking down

The systemic barriers skilled immigrants have traditionally faced in the labour market — although still around — are easing. Obstacles, such as Canadian work experience requirements, may not be the dealbreakers they once were for employers who have jobs to fill.

“That’s not to say that immigrants don’t face any barriers getting re-integrated into the Canadian economy,” says Shawn McCarty, manager of key partnerships at Windmill Microlending, a registered not-for-profit that provides skilled immigrants and refugees with low-interest loans to help them achieve career success in Canada. “Many opportunities have arisen from the chaos of the last couple of years, breaking some of those barriers down.”

An example can be seen in the demand for nurses during the pandemic and the ensuing relaxation of relicensing requirements for internationally educated nurses in Ontario. “Internationally educated nurses who have yet to receive their full accreditation will have opportunities for employment on the front lines. Although the details remain to be seen, this is still an extraordinary step that highlights the depth of the need that we’re experiencing,” McCarty says.

This step also shows just how “artificial” the traditional barriers faced by internationally trained professionals truly are. “When the need is great enough, suddenly the talents and skills that people are bringing with them to Canada are now enough,” McCarty adds. “Suddenly, the need for Canadian experience might not be as essential for many employers or as many sectors.”

And the need for talent, not only in health care but also in many other sectors across Canada, is significant.

 Sectors seeking workers in Canada

So, what sectors have the biggest labour gaps and strongest prospects for the future?

Given the ongoing pandemic, health care is the most obvious one, according to Windmill Microlending’s recently released Trending Jobs Report.

“Across Canada right now, certainly health care is the No. 1 need,” says McCarty. “If you are an internationally educated nurse, if you have pharmacy experience, if you’re a physician, medical radiation technologist, lab technologist — these are all professions where there is massive demand. Every province, every region, every neighbourhood needs health care professionals.”

Other licensed professions like education are not far behind health care with a growing demand for teachers and teaching assistants. “Where there’s a significant need, many school boards are relaxing their hiring standards quite a bit,” he says.

There is also a consistent need for accountants and skilled trades professionals such as electricians and plumbers across all provinces and territories.

Opportunities in construction abound across Canada, namely heavy equipment operators. In the transportation industry, truckers and mechanics are wanted.

IT is another big one in unregulated professions, with in-demand positions such as network technicians and systems and database analysts.

Learn more about trending jobs in Canada and in every province through Windmill’s national and provincial Trending Jobs Reports.

Leveraging these opportunities

 So, with all these opportunities available, skilled immigrants have doors opening up to them in Canada, with an easing of barriers, in many cases. There are also an increased number of bridging and training programs to help get them back working in their field, more quickly.

Understanding Canada’s growing job sectors could also inspire moving into a related field or pursuing a complete career change by retraining in one of these in-demand industries. In fact, many of these industries are looking at ways to train and get workers on the job faster than ever before.

“For example, we’re seeing an explosion of rapid IT bootcamp schools and education programs across Canada, some taking place in as little as 12 weeks. This really speaks to the need for labour in the IT sector and to fill the growth with this accessible form of education,” says McCarty. “If you can get up and running in the IT sector within your first year in Canada, that can potentially be very lucrative.”

And if financing that education seems out of reach right now, don’t despair. “One of the key barriers to training is financing, and that’s where Windmill comes in. Windmill is here to provide financial support [through affordable career loans of up to $15,000] to pay for the licensing or training needed to grow your career. Windmill is a charitable organization that exists to help newcomers reach their career goals and succeed in Canada.”

Keep following The Immigrant Career Planning Guide for the next nine weeks to read more articles on career opportunities in each province and how to leverage them through training, upskilling, networking and more.

The Immigrant Career Planning Guide presented by Windmill Microlending shares how newcomers can reach their full career potential by taking advantage of in-demand areas and employment opportunities across Canada. Whether you’re just starting your career, looking to move up, or retrain for a new field, growing opportunities await you. Now is the time to accelerate your career in Canada. Windmill’s Career Success and Planning Centre offers tools, tips and online digital resources to help skilled immigrants and refugees reach their professional goals, sooner. Visit windmillmicrolending.org to take the next step in your career, today.

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