B.C. announces $7M in funding to help newcomers find jobs

The provincial government has announced a new grant it sayswill help make jobs more accessible for newcomers in B.C.

"We're breaking down barriers to employment and helping immigrants and newcomers build their lives in this wonderful province,"Sheila Malcolmson,minister of social development and poverty reduction, said Wednesday, in announcing the province's$7-million in funding to the non-profit Immigrant Employment Council of B.C. (IECBC).

"Immigrants who are unemployed or underemployed will be mentored with over 1,000 businesses and immigrant-serving organizations," she said.

TheIECBC is a not-for-profit organization that provides B.C. employers resources to attract, hire and retain people new to the province.

Patrick Mackenzie, CEO of IECBC, said the grant will be used to extend their programs to connect immigrant job seekers with prospective employers.

"We help immigrants find work that is commensurate with the skills and the experience that they bring to Canada. And to do that we actually work directly with employers," he told CBC News.

Underemployment of immigrants has been a consistent problem for decades in B.C. and across Canada, saidMackenzie.

In excerpts from anew but unpublished report on newcomer underemployment, IECBCnotes the two most common factors causing underemployment were a lack of sufficient professional networks and a lack of Canadian experience.

Mackenzie said the funding from the province willhelpscale up its initiatives like Tech Connect Plus, which establishesprofessional networks by bringingtogether employers and newcomers for interviews and hiring opportunities.

Funding to expand services all over B.C.

According to Mackenzie, the grant will help scale up IECBC's programs to reach small and medium scale firms in communities beyond urban centres.

"I'm particularly excited about our ability to start reaching into smaller communities all over British Columbia," he said.

Earlier this year, the province introduced changes tothe Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), incentivizing immigrants to settle in areas outside Metro Vancouver.

Immigrants make up 29 per cent of the province's total population and agrowing number of newcomersare choosing to liveoutside ofMetro Vancouver, according to 2021 census data from Statistics Canada.

Hot labour market

Queenie Choo,CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. a social services organization that has helpednew immigrants settle in B.C. for almost 50 years saidthere are tremendous work opportunities for immigrants in B.C.

"Right now, the labour market is very hot, the jobs are available for people so as long as you have the right skill set and qualifications, jobs will be available," she said.

The province anticipatesmore than a million new jobsin the provincethrough 2027.

Choosaidthe grant from the province has comeat an opportune time.

"This is a good timing asmanyjobs are vacant and we need professionals to fill those vacancies to meet the labour crunch in B.C.," she added.

The province recently announced several new initiatives and funding for other newcomer services. In Mayit increased immigration services funding from $6 million to$26 million a year.

"IECBCis very grateful for these new investments," said Mackenzie."We need to give immigrants a reason to choose us before we get a chance to choose them."