Four free training projects to help more than 300 newcomers to Ontario, including displaced Afghans and Ukrainians, in their bids to land good Canada jobs are getting $2.6 million in funding.
“The Canadian dream is alive and well in Ontario, and we need all hands on deck to build it,” said provincial Immigration Minister Monte McNaughton.
That investment in settlement services by Canada’s most populous provinces comes less than a week after it announced it will clamp down on temporary help agencies and demand they get licensed by January next year in a bid to stop the exploitation of temporary foreign workers.
Temporary Help Agencies (THA) and recruiters, some of whom have been illegally paying foreign nationals less than the minimum wage and denying them basic employment rights, will have to get a licence to operate in the province as of Jan. 1, 2024.
“While temporary help agencies are vital to Ontario’s businesses and jobseekers looking to get their foot in the door, for too long they have operated in a grey zone that allows criminals to prey on vulnerable workers,” said McNaughton last week.
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“Our government’s licensing system will ensure law-abiding businesses can have confidence in the THAs and recruiters they work with and that those who abuse workers face the harshest fines in Canada and are banned from operating in our province.”
Ontario’s investment in settlement services this week also comes in the wake of the province toughening up its Working for Workers Act, 2023 earlier this year to be able to slap the biggest fines in Canada on business people who withhold the passports of their temporary foreign workers.
“Anyone who preys on vulnerable members in our community has no place in our society,” said McNaughton.
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“If you think you’re going to deny someone’s basic human rights by withholding their passport, we’re going to hit your pocketbook, and you will be behind bars for a long time. We will continue to use every tool in our toolbox to ensure Ontario is a province where hard work pays off and big dreams come true.”
Under that law, withholding a foreign national’s passport or work permit could lead to fines ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 for every worker whose rights are violated.
Ontario welcomes more immigrants every year than any other province or territory in Canada.
The settlement programs announced this week, provided by Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto, Matthew House Ottawa, Toronto Artscape, and Utimus, are designed to prepare the newcomers for good-paying jobs in manufacturing, finance, administration, communications, hospitality and the arts.
Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto And Utimus Get Most New Funding
Here’s how the $2.6 million is being distributed among the four agencies.
- Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto is getting $1,522,396 for its project to prepare 230 newcomer women with employment readiness, career coaching and a paid internship.
- Utimus is getting $833,626 to prepare 60 unemployed or underemployed Afghan and Ukrainian newcomers for work in the manufacturing sector in Ontario through four cohorts offered this year.
- Matthew House Ottawa is getting $137,850 for its project to hire and train 15 newcomers at the Refugee Services and Furniture Bank for eight to 10 weeks and help them find long-term jobs.
- Toronto Artscape Inc. is receiving $123,190 to provide 30 Ukrainian artists with the tools and experience needed to find jobs with local employers in the arts industry. That training will start Sept. 6.
Through these programs, newcomers will have the chance to explore a range of employment and training options through paid internships, job placements, language training and digital literacy courses.
If you are a candidate looking for a Canada job, or an employer looking to recruit foreign talent from abroad, immigration.ca can help. Access our expertise through our in-house recruitment enterprise skilledworker.com, “the leader in foreign recruitment”.
“This will help them reach their full potential and build a solid foundation for themselves and their families as they begin their new chapter in Ontario,” said provincial Citizenship and Multiculturalism Minister Michael Ford.
The programs, which will be delivered onsite in Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton as well as online will also help with resume writing, improving interview skills, and other tailored support to help the new arrivals land long-term employment.
Canadian Work Experience Can Lead To Eligibility For Permanent Residency
Under the Express Entry system, immigrants can apply for permanent residency online if they meet the eligibility criteria for one of three federal immigration programs, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST), and Canada Experience Class Program (CEC), or a participating provincial immigration program.
Candidates’ profiles then are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
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The highest-ranked candidates will be considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90-days.
Through a network of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), almost all of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories can also nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada when they have the specific skills required by local economies.
Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.