The City of Toronto's motto is "Diversity our Strength," but when it comes to integrating skilled immigrants into the workforce, it's not always put into practice.
The Toronto Immigrant Employment Data Initiative has found that education achieved abroad is discounted in the Canadian labour market by a factor of 30 per cent and work experience by factor of 70 per cent.
In an effort to spread awareness of the benefits of hiring skilled immigrants, the
Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) is once again accepting nomination for its
Immigrant Success (IS) Awards. Sponsored by RBC and supported by media partners
Canadian HR Reporter,
CBC Toronto and the
Toronto Star, the IS Awards are presented annually to organizations in the Greater Toronto Region that have shown leadership in integrating skilled immigrants into their workforces.
This year, for the first time since the awards began seven years ago, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will have an opportunity to be recognized.
"What we've found in the past is that we've had nominations for small businesses that have been really good but it's very difficult for them to compete against the large organizations with dedicated HR and diversity staff," says Jessica Hume, acting communications manager with TRIEC.
The new award,
the RBC Immigrant Advantage Award for SMEs, is geared directly at these smaller organizations.
"We often use the winners as an example to hold up to other employers," says Hume. "We can say to other employers, 'Here are some good examples, here's some people who've seen the advantage of this.'"
The nomination deadline is Thursday, November 15. A panel of senior human resource professionals, business executives and industry stakeholders will judge the submissions. Winners will be celebrated at a reception in the spring.
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Jessica Hume, Acting Communication Manager, TRIEC