Quebec Allots New Funding to Businesses for Recruiting Foreign Workers

In Quebec province today, more employers turn to temporary foreign workers for addressing the labor shortages. The Government announced funding of $55 million for helping in the recruitment as well as integration of temporary overseas workers. The Quebec labor minister stated that $20.9 million will assist global recruitment efforts by provincial businesses.

Quebec Jobs and Vacancy Rates

Quebec faces an acute labor shortage that is the highest in 40 years and presently has a high job vacancy rates in the provinces.

Additionally, for meeting the labor needs, many employers turn to temporary foreign workers from the start of 2018. In 2018 issuing temporary work permits, by the province, has increased by 36 percent, in comparison to the figures of 2017.

The trend accelerated after October 2018, with the election of new Coalition Avenir Quebec government, in the province that introduced 20 percent reduction for admitting the number of immigrants in the province.

Quebec Immigration Subsidizes Recruitment

The initiatives of August 26, relate to commitments of partial subsidization, in international recruitment, by businesses, covering $1,000 exclusively, in relocation expenses incurred regarding temporary overseas workers. This funding will offer support to 2,000 businesses in Quebec for the global recruitment efforts.

$33.9 million will be the share of two programs working with temporary overseas workers in helping with their integration to the labor market of Quebec. These are the PRIIME, IPOP.

The minister also stated that the new measures will ensure for a positive and durable integration, of temporary overseas workers, into the provincial labor market. The Quebec government faces criticism from business groups regarding reducing immigration in spite of the increasing labor crisis.

Quebec Immigration and A Solution

The provincial federation of chambers of commerce stated Quebec is in need of 60,000 immigrants annually. It is actually 20,000 in addition to the government plans of accepting immigrants in 2019 for reducing the labor shortage and encouraging economic growth.

Resorting to temporary overseas workers for filling the gaps is not viable because the population of Quebec is ageing and there is a shrinking labor pool.

The government will be implementing an immigration policy focusing on proper integration as well as to meet the existing provincial labor requirements.