IRCC’s Plan to Attract Global Talent: Skills Missions

Progress on Skills Missions for Global Talent

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has provided an update on Skills Missions, a key part of their Strategic Immigration Review from October 2023. This update was obtained through an Access to Information Request (ATIP) by CIC News.

What Are Skills Missions?

Skills Missions aim to attract highly skilled workers to Canada. IRCC staff and stakeholders, such as businesses and provincial officials, will travel to countries with large pools of potential workers. These missions are designed to help Canada maintain its labor force and economy.

Progress So Far

IRCC has made significant progress, including:

• Developing a work plan
• Mapping existing provincial and federal services
• Reviewing ethical recruitment practices
• Holding preliminary discussions with stakeholders
  
  

Challenges for Employers

Feedback from the Strategic Immigration Review highlighted that many Canadian employers find it difficult to hire newcomers, especially from abroad. Skills Missions aim to simplify this process by bringing together relevant parties to address specific talent needs.

Provincial Initiatives

Some provinces already conduct skills missions through their Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). For example, Manitoba nominates candidates through Strategic Recruitment Initiatives to meet local labor needs.

Target Countries and Occupations

The countries targeted for Skills Missions will depend on the occupation or group. IRCC aims to:

• Increase the number of French speakers outside Quebec
• Diversify the source countries for newcomers

For regulated professions (e.g., healthcare, trades), IRCC will target countries with similar training or accreditation to Canada. For non-regulated professions, they will identify countries with large labor pools.

Support for French Speakers

Skills Missions will also target Francophone countries to help meet the goal of having 6% of newcomers in 2024 be French speakers, as outlined by the Official Languages Act.

Next Steps

IRCC will:

1. Identify target occupations and countries
2. Consult with provincial and territorial governments and industry experts
3. Plan trip logistics, including employer participation and travel arrangements

These missions will be led by the Chief International Talent Officer, aligning immigration with Canada's labor market needs.