Difficulties with the language, complexity of procedures, problems linked to temporary status. Even in the midst of a labor shortage, skilled immigrants face numerous obstacles that hinder their integration into the construction industry. This is what a study carried out between 2021 and 2022 with some 250 respondents — immigrants, employers and stakeholders in the sector, such as unions — carried out by action research organizations affiliated with the University of Montreal.
Just before the pandemic, the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), in partnership with the Table de concertation des organizations serving refugees and immigrants and Conseil emploi métropole, decided to explore the relationship between immigrants more closely. with this highly regulated industry. The CCQ therefore asked the InterActions Research and Knowledge Sharing Center and the ERASME research team to draw up a portrait.
A portrait which could notably fuel current discussions on the reform of law R-20, led by the Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet, at a time when employers’ associations are demanding more flexibility in the sector. According to the most recent data from the Institute of Statistics of Quebec, there were overall few immigrants in the construction industry in 2017, barely 8.2% of the workforce, which places the sector at 13e rank out of 14 among other industries, such as transportation and warehousing (22.8%) or accommodation and food services (17.8%).
“My first observation was: “My God, it’s complicated for immigrants!” “, declared Marie-Jeanne Blain, professor of anthropology and principal researcher of this study carried out in collaboration with Lucio Castracani.
Starting with the cumbersome procedures for professional recognition, a major obstacle to access to the job market. “Know where to go to get my diploma correspondence… Know what cards I need to work. Why do we need maps? All of this is complicated to understand at first,” relates Jérémie, an immigrant carpenter who testifies in the study.
For meme Blain, it’s not information that’s lacking, but personalized support. “For example, there are several entry routes to having your acquired knowledge recognized. Just knowing what you’re going through is complicated,” she says. “There is no such thing as a specialized resource person for immigrants in construction. »
Difficulties and discouragement
All this complexity also seems to discourage certain businesses, which are looking for workers ready to work immediately. “There are employers who would like the worker to be operational tomorrow morning,” says the researcher. And sometimes, she points out, after months of trying to recruit a worker abroad, they can be refused their work permit by a border services agent at the airport. “We have had cases where employers have hired five workers, but only two have managed to get through,” she says. For both the employer and the migrant worker, the risks are high, she adds.
Hence the recommendation to simplify procedures for recruitment abroad and to offer support services to businesses. “For agriculture, I believe they have special visas,” Jean-Philippe, an employer who tried — in vain — to recruit in Latin America, mentioned in the report. “I don’t even know if it exists for construction, but I’m sure it’s easier in agriculture than in construction. »
Temporary workers are at the mercy of delays and procedures for obtaining and renewing their work permit. Certain programs, such as Recognition of Acquired Learning and Skills, are less accessible for non-permanent immigrants, who often have to give up on their professional recognition.
Temporary status can also open the door to abuse. Recruited by a company in Chaudière-Appalaches as a temporary worker with a closed permit, Carlos, a welder of Mexican origin, realized that he and other colleagues with the same status were paid less than other welders, although they performed exactly the same tasks.
“We had a case of a worker who[un employeur] had brought from Latin America and who, once arrived here, was laid off because he did not speak French,” emphasizes Marie-Jeanne Blain.
French, a discriminating factor
The French language has also been highlighted as an element that greatly influences the integration of a migrant worker. “There is consensus. Communication plays a big role,” said the researcher. This is firstly the case for employers, for whom mastery of French is a question of health and safety at work.
As for immigrants, lack of mastery of the language of Molière can be a “discriminating factor”, both for the recognition of skills – the translation of documents, in particular, is very expensive – and for access to and retention of employment. and career advancement. “ [Elle] can lead to a process of professional marginalization,” reveals the study, which documents cases where allophone immigrants have not been able to integrate the sector regulated and protected by unions.
Diego, a Peruvian permanent resident, says he wanted to take advantage of the fact that he had his skills certificate to get out of the “unregulated” industry after completing health and safety training from ASP Construction. He was unable to do so due to his level of French. ” They tell me […] : “If I send you to build a wall, or make a cut or something… You’re not going to know how to do it,” he testifies in the study.
Pedro says he never felt included in his team of roofers. “You can have a lot of knowledge, but if you don’t know the language, they’re never going to integrate you well. It will always be an issue. »
Around thirty recommendations arise from the report commissioned by the CCQ, ranging from individualized support for immigrants to the creation of bridges between the various stakeholders, those in the industry, but also public institutions and community organizations. “I’m not putting on my rose-colored glasses, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the good will of the partners and to see to what extent the employers wanted to do things well,” concludes Marie-Jeanne Blain, who hopes that her work will be able to inspire the upcoming reform of the law.