Plenty of Jobs in Canada

Out West, the signs all say: Help Wanted 

Mar 30, 2008

The Toronto Star

Gillian Steward 

Central Canada may be bracing for a recession but there's still no sign of it in the West. Instead, employers worry about finding and keeping enough workers to deal with soaring demand for their products and services.

Frustration abounds everywhere. The owner of one upscale Calgary restaurant says he has not only had to resort to washing the dishes himself, he's now thinking of buying two condos to house the temporary help he wants to import from the Philippines.

In June, Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier will lead a team of city officials to job fairs in England where they hope to hire 250 planners, mechanics and bus drivers. Like the restaurant workers, they would be brought to Alberta under the temporary foreign worker program, which allows outsiders to work in Canada for a limited period of time, if employers can't find suitable Canadian or permanent residents to do the job.

Temporary workers from India, China, the Philippines, Central America and Mexico are also in demand at the massive tar sands sites in northern Alberta. In fact, it's the tar sands vortex that is sucking up workers from all across the country, as well as overseas, leaving other employers in the lurch because they can't compete with petroleum industry wages.

So, foreign workers, who for the most part aren't as demanding as their Canadian counterparts, are recruited to fill the gaps in everything from meat-packing and landscaping to hotels and restaurants. Over the past year, the federal government has received applications from Alberta employers for 100,000 foreign workers. That's about five times the number of immigrants granted permanent status in Alberta in 2006.

B.C. is also importing workers. According to Economic Development Minister Colin Hansen, the province is hoping to attract 30,000 workers with specific skills – each year.

Of course, not everyone is happy about this. Labour leaders say employers are using foreign workers to drive down wages and benefits. Recruiters know that while $14 an hour to change sheets in a hotel might not sound like much here, to a single mother from Mexico it sounds like a fortune. New immigrants say employers would rather bring in temporary foreign workers than hire them because they expect wages and benefits befitting a Canadian standard of living.

Not all job vacancies can be filled by foreign workers who don't speak English very well. They can't work in retail, for example, where employee churn is a constant problem.

During a recent excursion to Safeway, I had to ask three workers stocking shelves for help before I found the item I was looking for – the first two simply didn't know what I was talking about. Some restaurants and stores have had to curtail their hours of operation because they can't find enough staff.

But it's in the social-services sector where the shortage of qualified workers is felt most acutely. Agencies in Alberta that provide services to children and adults with disabilities say employee turnover is so chronic it has become dangerous for clients and staff.

Most of these agencies contract with the provincial government to provide services. So, the government could certainly inject more cash, if it wanted to. But agencies like these, as well as long-term care facilities, child-care providers and women's shelters, will be scrambling for front-line workers for many years to come.

They might even be praying for a recession – anything to drive prospective workers their way again.

Gillian Steward is a Calgary writer and journalist, and former managing editor of the

Calgary Herald.

Canada Immigration Made Easy 

 " My Immigration Consultant for Canada New Edition

Download "My Immigration Consultant"

Watch this short Video & See what's inside  "My Immigration Consultant" 

 Especially now when Canada just announced immigration reform and plans to fast-track the immigration process for skilled workers in high-demand occupations, you can discover how you can Immigrate to Canada without spending thousands of dollars paying for consulting services or lawyers. 

Now You Can! With "My Immigration Consultant" It's the easiest and YES it is a cost efficient way to immigrate to Canada. An introduction to My Immigration Consultant for Canada, 2011 Edition though brief, it can save a lot of head aches and with the advice provided it is truly priceless.

Strategic Immigration Services has developed this Software (E-book style), to help prospective immigrants to Canada who live in countries that are not so fortunate financially. We always make a point of providing high quality professional services based on experience, competence and strict ethical standards.

Click here to go to the download page