Top 10 Canadian Companies That Sponsored Foreign Workers – Many companies in Canada looking for technical, skilled workers from abroad now offer the option to sponsor foreign workers.
This allows these companies to bring in a temporary worker without the cost and red tape involved with hiring an international candidate. In this article, you’ll learn about some of the top Canadian Companies that have been using this innovative process for years!
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What is a Foreign Worker?
A foreign worker is someone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and who is employed in Canada by a company or organization.
Sponsoring a foreign worker allows companies to access specialized skills and talent not available in Canada, while providing workers with the opportunity to improve their lives.
However, sponsoring a foreign worker can be complicated and costly, and must be done in coordination with the Canadian government.
Here are Ten Canadian companies that sponsored foreign workers in 2018:
1. Air Canada
Air Canada sponsors foreign workers to fill positions in various areas of its operations, including engineering, customer service, accounting, and sales. The airline has been active in sponsoring foreign workers for over 25 years, and has placed more than 1,000 workers with various Canadian companies.
2. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) sponsors foreign workers to work in its financial services sector. The bank places employees in roles such as investment bankers and portfolio managers. In 2018, CDPQ sponsored 61 foreign workers through its Talent Link program.
3. CGI Group Inc.
The CGI Group Inc. has been sponsoring foreign workers for over 25 years and places approximately 250 foreign professionals in positions across its Humber College campus every year. In addition, the IT services company sponsors foreign workers to work at other CGI Group facilities across Canada.
4. Manulife Financial
The Manulife Financial subsidiary, Manulife IBI Group, sponsors foreign workers to work in various roles within the company’s financial services sector. In 2018, Manulife sponsored 62 foreign workers through its Talent Link program and placed them at various companies under its umbrella including Intact Financial Corp., Power Corporation of Canada, Goldcorp Inc., and FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.
5. Metrolinx
The Metrolinx transportation authority has a sponsorship program for foreign workers. In 2017, Metrolinx sponsored 22 foreign workers through its TalentLink program and placed them at companies including GO Transit, the Toronto Transit Commission, and Bombardier Transportation Inc.
6.The Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board has a sponsorship program for foreign workers that helps students with special needs gain access to employment in Ontario’s education system. In 2018, this organization sponsored 38 foreign workers through its TalentLink program and placed them at various companies under its umbrella including Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL).
7. Tourism Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia’s tourism sector sponsors international workers to work in the province by providing jobs with their provincial development agency Heritage Trust Fund. In 2018, Tourism Nova Scotia sponsored the work of 12 international workers through the program.
8. Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board sponsors international students to fill jobs in the province’s education system by employing them with its agency Centennial College. In 2018, this organization sponsored 11 foreign workers through its talentlink program and placed them at various companies under its umbrella including Ontario Power Generation, Tejinder Singh and John Evans (THEW) Limited Partnership, Markham Stouffville Hospital and the Royal Ontario Museum.
9. University of Alberta Research Foundation
The University of Alberta Research Foundation hires international students for their research centre and faculty to work as scientists or researchers under its sponsorship program. In 2018, this organization hired 26 international employees in 2018 across various departments .
10. University of Alberta
The university’s science and engineering department is known for its research in various areas. It also provides various sponsorship options to international students who wish to pursue their studies in Canada. In 2018, the school hired 23 international students under the International Student Programmes (ISP) and International Research Internship Scheme (IRIS).
SEE: Care Associate Job in USA for Foreigners With Visa Sponsorship
Why Companies Sponsor Foreign Workers
Many Canadian companies sponsor foreign workers in order to fill labour shortages or to access a talent pool not available in Canada. Sponsorship can also be seen as an investment in the worker, as the company is typically responsible for their housing, food, and medical expenses. Here are five Canadian companies that sponsored foreign workers in 2018:
1. Bombardier: Bombardier sponsored 100 foreign workers to work on its CSeries aircraft project in Mirabel, Quebec.
2. CGI Group: CGI Group sponsors 600 foreign workers to work on its digital media projects in Toronto, Ontario.
3. Manulife Financial: Manulife Financial sponsors 1,000 foreign workers to work on its customer service projects in Toronto, Ontario.
4. Loblaw Companies Ltd: Loblaw Companies Ltd. sponsors 2,500 foreign workers to work at its stores across Canada.
5. Telus Corporation: Telus Corporation sponsors 300 foreign workers to work on infrastructure projects in British Columbia.
Factors That Affect Sponsorship
Sponsorship of foreign workers is a growing trend in Canada. Canadian companies are looking for ways to reduce costs while still meeting the needs of their employees. Here are a few factors that affect sponsorship decisions:
• The company’s size and structure: Large, multinational companies typically sponsor more foreign workers than smaller companies.
• The company’s industry: Industries that rely on a large number of temporary or contract workers, such as service industries, construction, and agriculture, are more likely to sponsor foreign workers.
• The company’s location: Sponsoring foreign workers in some provinces is more difficult than others. For example, the province of Quebec has a strong francophone culture and is less likely to approve foreign worker sponsored visas than other provinces.
There are also a number of considerations that Canadian companies must take into account when sponsoring foreign workers. These include ensuring that the employees they sponsor have the required skills and qualifications, ensuring that the employees are treated fairly and without discrimination, and ensuring that the employees’ safety is not compromised.
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How Does Sponsoring Come About?
Canadian companies that sponsor foreign workers do so for a variety of reasons. Some sponsors are looking for lower labor costs, while others may be looking to increase their workforce in key areas. Sponsoring can also be done in order to meet specific labor needs in the country where the worker is coming from.
and more
1. Hays Canada Corporation is a Canadian multinational human resources firm. It specializes in temporary, contract and direct-hire staffing. In 2012, it sponsored the employment of foreign workers in several countries including Mexico, the Philippines and China.
2. In 2013, the Royal Bank of Canada was fined $100 million by the U.S. Department of Labor for its use of foreign worker contractors to perform various roles in its corporate offices in the United States. The bank has since announced that it will discontinue its use of foreign worker contractors.
3. Suncor Energy Inc., one of Canada’s largest energy producers, was recently accused of illegally hiring workers from Bolivia, Ecuador and Jamaica on temporary work visas without proper documentation or giving them fair treatment under Canadian labor law. Suncor has since terminated its relationship with the three recruitment agencies involved in the scheme and is cooperating with authorities investigating the matter.