Canadian employers awarded for exemplary work with newcomers

Canada’s immigration department announced the winners of the 2020 IRCC Employer Awards for Newcomer Employment on March 11.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognizes Canadian businesses who have made significant efforts to help newcomers integrate into the labour market. The awards have been handed out annually since 2015.

Canada’s immigration minister, Marco Mendicino, announced the four winners for 2020:

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Glen Haven Manor— New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

One of the largest long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia, Glen Haven Manor, was the first to be a part of the Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP), which was designed to help refugees find employment in Canada.

Recently, Glen Haven recruited 15 continuing care assistants from Kenya and Jordan through EMPP. The facility is also working with community partners to formalize a recruitment, training and retention program for newcomer continuing care assistants that can be used by other care organizations.

KPMG in Canada— Toronto, Ontario

KPMG offers audit, tax and advisory services in 40 locations across the country. The organization has put effort in developing the intercultural competence of its leaders and recruiters.

They recruit international talent, and have hired more than 250 international employees from around the globe. Their “global mobility team” supports newcomers who come to Canada to join KPMG.

KPMG has provided 306 mentors from their staff and mentored more than 580 newcomers through the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s mentoring program.

MUFG Fund Services Ltd.— Halifax, Nova Scotia

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group's Halifax location supports newcomers by offering extensive information, coordinating temporary housing, and providing basic needs to ensure new employees have a positive experience when first arriving in Canada. Immigrants are then put in contact with local IRCC-funded settlement services.

The company ensures that culturally significant dates are recognized and celebrated.

MFUG is a designated employer under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, and is also an approved training facility for chartered professional accountants. They help candidates qualify to be designated, chartered financial analysts. They also provide support to newcomers in either transferring their designations to Canadian recognized charters, or starting the designation process from scratch.

In addition, MFUG offers mentoring, support groups, and networking opportunities for newcomers.

They have hired 27 staff who were new to the province and 19 new international graduates since January 2019. The retention rate among these 46 new employees is 91 per cent.

White Hat Drycleaners and Commercial Laundry— Campbell River, B.C.

White Hat Drycleaners is owned by Ai Guo Zhang, who is a Canadian immigrant himself.

Seven out of his 10 staff are also newcomers. He has hired several vulnerable people referred by a local settlement service provider, offering them their first experience working in Canada and on-the-job training.

In addition to creating jobs for immigrants, Zhang supports new families in pursuit of their settlement goals.

Immigrants sometimes have difficulty integrating into the labour market. In issuing these awards IRCC recognizes businesses that go the extra mile to create environments where immigrants can thrive.

“I am so pleased with the outstanding efforts these organizations have made to ensure that their newcomer employees feel welcome and have the support they need to realize their full potential in Canada,” Mendicino said in a media release.

“Settlement and integration is a two-way street, and these employers recognize that they have a role to play in helping newcomers maximize their potential and contribute to Canada’s economy and society in a meaningful way.”

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs