UMQ REPORT
NEW IMMIGRANTS
HELPING NEWCOMERS FIND EMPLOYMENT Every year the Greater Montréal region welcomes 86% of new immigrants to Québec. The city remains an attractive magnet for newcomers.
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nd there is plenty of work – over 40,000 job openings in Montréal in 2018! In order to find employment, newcomers must spend the time and effort required and overcome certain challenges. But their situation is improving, even though the job market is tightening up and a shortage of labour is affecting many sectors across Québec. BETTER WORKFORCE INTEGRATION While there is usually a higher rate of unemployment among immigrants than among native-born Canadians, that discrepancy has been diminishing in recent years. According to a recent study by the Institut du Québec, the unemployment rate for immigrants aged 25 to 54 fell to 6%, whereas the Québec average was 5.6% (data for September 2018). The employment rate is also quite positive, having climbed almost six percentage points in 10 years, to reach close to 78% in 2017. Even immigrants who have been here less than five years have benefited from that surge. Their employment rate went from 58% in 2007 to approximately 66% in 2017. Ahmed Sahboun, director of Employment and Immigrant Services for Clé pour l’intégration au travail des immigrants (CITIM), has also taken note of that upturn. "Even though it is on a case by case basis, generally speaking immigrants are discovering that it is easier to find a job now than it was before, whether they are permanent or temporary residents," he said. Of the 1800 people who use CITIM’s services every year, he estimates that approximately 83% manage to find employment. Better yet, 40% find a job in their field of expertise or in the sector they were aiming for. The CITIM provides resources and services for immi grants to help them integrate into the workforce, offering support and guidance, training, job search tools, networking events, etc.
AHMED SAHBOUN Director of Employment and Immigrant Services Clé pour l’intégration au travail des immigrants (CITIM)
CHALLENGES Mr. Sahboun stated that he was impressed by the high level of preparation among immigrants who make use of CITIM services, and also admired their perseverance and ability to develop job search strategies. "When they are supported by an organization like ours with our various resources and tools, they succeed rapidly," he said. Nonetheless, foreign candidates face challenges, depending on their individual situations. These challenges range from learning a new language to obtaining official recognition of skills and diplomas.
1. Institut du Québec (2018). Mise à jour et clarification des données sur l’immigration et le marché du travail. La situation s’améliore, mais certains défis persistent. Available at: https://www.institutduQuébec.ca/docs/default-source/default-document-library/201809miseaupointimmigration9c54454ac9186762bc5eff00000592ac.pdf?sfvrsn=0.
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MONTRÉAL ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE : : 2020 EDITION
