Unlocking the Potential of Newcomer Talent

Unlocking the Potential of Newcomer Talent

Unlocking the Potential of Newcomer Talent

More than ever, global talent is on the move, and this talent wants to come to Canada. Recent global polling shows that Canada ranks second only to the United States as a destination of choice for potential migrants. Despite this, Canadian employers consistently lack the ability to hire, recruit, and retain immigrants into positions that make best use of their skills and abilities. Various studies have pegged the cost of underemployment and unemployment of newcomers in Canada in the tens of billions of dollars, and in May 2024, the unemployment rate for newcomers to Canada stood at 11.7%, more than double that of the rest of the population (5.7%).

Small and medium employers play a crucial role in impacting these daunting figures by understanding how to tap into this important labour pool effectively. Join us for this timely fireside chat with the CEO of Immigrant Employment Council of BC, Patrick MacKenzie, on labour integration strategies with solutions to attract, onboard and retain skilled immigrant talent. This conversation-style presentation will address the big questions on people's minds around the current landscape of immigration, with a focus on tools for successfully harnessing the power of newcomer talent.



Discussion

Patrick MacKenzie

Patrick MacKenzie

CEO, Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia


BIO
Sheh Shojaee

Moderator

Sheh Shojaee

Founder and Leadership, Business & JEDIA Coach, A Brave Thought
Co-chair, Scale-up Centre for SMEs

Scale-up Centre for SMEs Signature Partner:

Scale-up Centre for SMEs Supporting Sponsors:

Scale-up Centre for SMEs Community Sponsor:

Venue Partner

 


The Scale-up Centre for SMEs (SCS) is an initiative of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. The SCS works to understand the trends, forces, and issues impacting SME growth, innovation, and competitiveness and develops programming and policy to address these issues. Based on the goals of helping companies to discover gaps, engage with experts, and create solutions to address obstacles to growth, the SCS connects, educates, and inspires SMEs in British Columbia.