Industry
Guide

Recruitment

The process of searching for and attracting qualified candidates to apply for the positions that are available.¹

Recruitment can be completed by a number of different players, including employers, recruiters, labour organizations and construction associations. Activities in the Recruitment phase include:

• deciding if the recruitment will be done by the employer or by a third party;
• developing a contract between the employer and recruiter;
• choosing the countries from which to recruit;
• deciding how to advertise for potential workers;
• carrying out the actual recruitment; and
• identifying a pool of workers.

Finding qualified foreign workers is no easy task. Some larger companies do their own recruitment. Other companies use recruiting services. Either way, employers need to take an active role and may have to travel to interview potential workers. The main decision for an employer is how much time they want to invest. If employers choose to use a third-party recruiter, they should make sure to use a reputable recruitment agency: if a recruiter’s promises seem too good to be true, they probably are. A recruitment contract should clearly define the roles and expectations of both the recruiter and employer. Research shows that the more time and effort employers invest in this process, the better the outcome. For more information about recruiters, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.

Deciding from which countries to recruit is an important decision. For each country, considerations include the following:

• Language – Is English a common second language in the country of recruitment? If not, does the employer have the language capacity within the company to interact with the potential foreign workers?
• Training and certification – How similar is the foreign training and certification process to the Canadian process in the province of work? Provincial certification bodies can help identify what is required, and the Foreign Credential Referral Office of CIC can clarify if the certification from other countries will be recognized in Canada.
   
• Visa requirements – Are visas required? Visa requirements and exemptions can be found on the CIC website. As of 2013, certain foreign nationals seeking visas to enter Canada will be required to provide fingerprints and have their photo taken as part of their application. For more information, visit the CIC website page on biometrics. Workers who require a visa must submit an application to a consulate or visa office, and this process can take from less than one week to more than one month. Employers should consider visa processing wait times as part of their decision-making process.

Many different bodies, from government organizations to construction and labour associations, can be involved in the recruitment phase. Employers often obtain the assistance of recruitment agencies to do the advertising and initial screening, while various players may be involved in other activities, such as organizing job fairs overseas. Connections to labour organization or construction association affiliates are also good places to advertise for potential workers. Embassies and consulates in Canada can also help connect employers with the right people abroad. For a list of consulates in Canada, visit the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website.

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Variations in the process

The recruitment process varies depending on the occupation, province and country of origin of the worker. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Engaging recruiters – Recruiters come in all shapes and sizes. Some are clearly profit-oriented, while others operate as non-profit recruitment agencies. Recruiters in Canada cannot legally charge the worker for their services, so the employer should be paying these fees. While there is currently no federal body regulating recruiter activities, provinces are moving ahead with regulations in this area. For example, in Alberta, “businesses are required to be licensed by Service Alberta regardless of where they are located if they help employers in Alberta find employees, help employees find work in Alberta or evaluate or test people for employers seeking employees.” Under the Fair Trading Act (FTA), all businesses are required to have an Employment Agency Business Licence, including employment or recruitment agencies. Service Alberta has developed some tips on choosing an employment agency. In Manitoba, both employers and recruiters must be registered with the Government of Manitoba’s Employment Standards Division. This is a requirement for the inclusion of temporary foreign workers under the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act (WRAPA). For more information about recruiters see the FAQ section.

Training and certification – Each province is responsible for determining the qualifications of workers in the trades. As a result, regulatory requirements vary from province to province. For instance, Quebec and Alberta have a large number of regulated trades, whereas most trades in British Columbia are not regulated. For regulated occupations, workers will need to pass some sort of test demonstrating their skill level upon their arrival in Canada. See the Orientation and Integration section for further details. Employers should be aware of these regulatory requirements at the recruitment stage in order to ensure potential candidates have the skills needed at the selection phase. The Going to Canada website has a tool to help.

Provincial government involvement in foreign worker recruitment – Provincial governments play various roles in supporting employers who are recruiting outside of Canada. Some provinces, such as Alberta, are actively supporting foreign worker recruitment and training. The province has developed guides to support Alberta employers, which are available on the Alberta-Canada website.

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There are variations in the level of provincial involvement in economic development and immigration activities. Quebec has the most comprehensive role in immigration through the Canada-Québec Accord. Other provinces have formal agreements or letters of understanding. Provinces may arrange trade missions, make introductions to foreign recruiters, or help organize job fairs in other countries.

¹ http://www.hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/right-people-recruitment.cfm  

This page last updated December 2009