The Legault government is struggling to keep its promises to bring reinforcements from abroad to a Quebec in labor shortage. The duty learned that low-skilled occupations in high demand are not, as expected, on the new list of occupations with access to simplified processing for the granting of a temporary work permit, which worries employers.
Thus, 37 level C occupations, according to the national classification of occupations, such as transport drivers, handlers and heavy machinery operators, still do not appear on this list published on February 24, although Jean Boulet, Minister of Immigration and Labor, would have announced four months ago that they would be there.
Subject to very high demand, the professions of orderlies, nurses’ aides and orderlies are not on the list either. According to the website of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity, the “works [pour ajouter ces professions de niveau C] continue with the federal government”.
In other sectors with severe labor shortages, certain professions requiring a little more qualification (level B) have been removed from the list altogether, which causes misunderstanding among both employers and recruitment and immigration specialists. “I was surprised to see that the position of sales supervisor had been removed from the list,” underlines Béatrice Lemay, immigration lawyer at Immetis. Many of his clients are businesses in the retail industry, a sector where cashier, sales clerk and sales clerk positions are very difficult to fill. “There is misunderstanding on both sides. However, it is a sector with a major labor shortage and we ended up with even fewer solutions, ”she notes.
The profession of baker-pastry cook was supposed to be added to the list, but in the end it is not there, although severals bakery owners denounced a serious recruitment problem last year in The duty. Other category B professions, such as road transport supervisor or fashion designer, are also waiting to be rehabilitated on the list.
In total, all levels combined, 71 professions, considered “in significant labor shortage” by Quebec and the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail, were to be added to the simplified processing list, half of which had been removed from the list by the Legault government itself.
Deadlines too long
Currently, bringing in a foreign worker is a process that can take up to a year. The employer must first carry out a labor market impact study in order to prove that it is meeting a real need and that no Canadian is available for employment. This process, which costs $1,000 per worker we want to bring in, can take four to five months. A work permit application takes the same amount of time to be processed by the federal government.
In addition, the employer must also have previously posted the position for at least one month and demonstrate that no one here answered the call. However, this last step is not mandatory if the profession in question is on the simplified treatment list. This also allows an employer to bring in as many workers as they want and to award contracts of 36 months instead of 24, which can facilitate access to permanent residence.
Ho Sung Kim, vice-president of AURAY Sourcing Immigration, explains that the disappointment was great among some of his clients who were impatiently awaiting these changes which were to help reduce the delays in bringing in temporary foreign workers. “I don’t see why we expect so much,” he said. According to him, even if it were to unblock quickly, it is already too late for employers to be able to bring in workers for the summer season. “It wouldn’t be until 2023.” The changes to the list should have been made last fall, he added.
Computer problems
Minister Jean Boulet says he has been informed that if the thirty or so level C occupations are slow to be added to the list, it is because Employment and Social Development Canada, which is responsible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, “met IT issues » [sic]. He remains vague on the timetable, indicating that Ottawa should be able to meet “over the next few weeks” the agreement in principle reached last August, and which was announced in more detail by the minister on 1er November.
Even if we have relaxations and simplified processing, it is reducing the work permit processing time that will help companies
During this last announcement made four months ago, Minister Boulet told the Homework that these relaxations represented “Quebec’s greatest advance in terms of temporary immigration” since 1991. Of the four relaxations negotiated, two have already been implemented: exemption from job postings for certain professions requiring few qualifications (level D) was carried out last December, and the increase in the threshold of 10 to 20% of foreign workers allowed for companies in certain sectors, notably retail trade, health care and accommodation, came into effect a month later. late.
According to Ho Sung Kim, the “real” problem remains the excessive processing times of the federal government, which manages the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. “Even if we have relaxations and simplified processing, it is reducing the processing time for the work permit that will help companies. Because their need for labor is already for yesterday. »
Asked about its “computer problems”, Employment and Social Development Canada contented itself with indicating that it “remains determined to work with Quebec to help the province meet its labor needs while guaranteeing the rights and protection of workers”.