Variations by industry
The services industry held the highest vacancy rate at 4.9 per cent with construction at 4.8 per cent, hospitality at 3.7 per cent then agriculture, enterprise management, professional services, and health services all at 3.4 per cent. The information sector had the lowest vacancy rate at 2.1 per cent.
Several immigration programs help connect employers with highly-skilled workers looking to move to Canada:
Express Entry
Express Entry, though not a program in itself, is a system used by Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to choose economic class candidates for permanent Canadian occupation through the following programs:
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Canadian Federal Skilled Trades Class
Canadian Experience Class
Some provincial nominee programs are also a part of the Express Entry System.
British Columbia
B.C. Provincial Nominee Program Tech Pilot launched in 2017 and is geared towards foreign tech talent wishing to make B.C their residence. Weekly draws are done to determine who’ll receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). The programme will be extended until June 2020.
Atlantic Canada immigration
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program allows employers in one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces to hire international talent quickly. Some participating areas include New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador. If employers are qualified, then they may skip the process of obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Rural and northern immigration
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot looks out for rural communities outside the Atlantic provinces and Quebec. Places with less than 50,000 people and over 75 km from a city will work with IRCC to design programs that cater to their needs. The Government of Canada hasn’t given details on this pilot.
Manitoba has a system in place with the Morden Community Driven Initiative tied to the Express Entry system. Candidates must be welders, carpenters, cooks or plumbers among other requirements.
The Province of Quebec has its immigration system outside of Express Entry. The candidates interested may apply for a QSC (Quebec Selection Certificate) through the following avenues:
Quebec Skilled Worker Program
Programme de l’expérience québécoise (Quebec Experience Class, PEQ)
Quebec Investor Program
Quebec Entrepreneur Program
Quebec Self-Employed Person Program
The QSC issued by Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion (MIDI) proves that the holder is free to settle in Quebec. Hopeful applicants must prove they are qualified to receive a QSC.
