Immigrant skills must be tapped to help economy

It has been an unfairly long-standing challenge for skilled immigrants to B.C. and Canada that their foreign credentials all too often go unrecognized. This has held them back from making their full contribution to our economy and building wealth.

For decades, Canada's immigration system has selected immigrants by prioritizing those who are the most skilled. To deny so many the chance to put those skills into practice has been a waste of their talent and a missed opportunity to make our immigration system even more successful.

That's why it has been very encouraging to recently see B.C.'s International Credentials Recognition Act that removes barriers to skilled immigrants finding work in 29 regulated professions like engineering, social work, architecture, accounting or veterinary practice. We can, and should, build on this.

The B.C. Chamber of Commerce has remarked that the act still excludes health-care and trades professionals, who are desperately needed in every B.C. community. So, while work in these sectors has been advanced through other recent legislative changes and programs, the provincial government should continue to prioritize these professions and urgently reduce the significant barriers faced by professionals in these sectors.

The province's most recent Labour Market Outlook predicts about one million B.C. job openings from 2023 to 2033. Demographic trends mean these openings will not be filled by Canadians alone, and immigrants will be needed across the economy to address worker shortfalls and ensure continued prosperity. Removing barriers to skilled immigrants' entry into the labour force will help make the most of the skills for which they are selected.

But what about the approximately 80 per cent of the economy that lies outside of the regulated professions? In this much larger part of the job market, employers do not formally require a specific diploma, credential or “ticket.” What they are most interested in is whether a candidate can get the job done.

In this wide group of industries and occupations like administration, small business, and many roles in tech, to name a few, hiring decisions are mainly based on a flexible combination of skills, abilities, potential and experience. Product managers, salespeople or chefs, for example, are not regulated professions.

The province has tremendous levers to affect immigration to B.C. and respond to labour market demand through its powers under the Provincial Nominee Program and legislation that governs regulatory bodies, and should nimbly use them to make sure that not only is B.C. getting people with the skills and abilities employers need, but they are able to work immediately. Credentials like diplomas, certificates and degrees are often a shorthand for skills and abilities, but do not necessarily have a direct link to them. They are useful signals for busy hiring managers, but are just one piece of the puzzle. It is an unfortunate fact for skilled immigrants and for the wider B.C. economy that newcomers whose credentials are outside of what's typically understood have their value discounted heavily, even when they have the skills employers are seeking.

Just as the B.C. government should build on the progress made with the act to speed immigrants' integration into jobs across the economy, B.C.'s employers should also consider the role they play. Are their managers, recruiters and human resources teams equipped to recognize, hire and develop skilled workers, no matter where they're from? Do their processes and policies focus more on credentials than on recognizing real-life skills and abilities?

These are not academic questions. With a long-term competition for talent playing out from the international level on down, the most successful businesses (and economies) will continue to be those that can attract the best talent. With the International Credential Recognition Act, the B.C. government has taken a clear step in the right direction. At the same time, forward-thinking employers already recognize the immense potential of skilled people no matter where they are from.

Now, it's time to build on this progress by extending credential recognition to even more in-demand professions like health care and the skilled trades, and ensuring our provincial nominee program responds to labour market needs. It's also time to make sure B.C. employers large and small across the entire economy have the tools and competencies to attract workers with the skills to meet and exceed their goals.