According to TD Economics’ latest forecast, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in Ontario will decrease from 2.9 per cent to 0.7 per cent next year. It expects to see just a one per cent increase in 2024. Economists suppose as the economy gradually slows down, the unemployment rate in Ontario is slowly predicted to increase from 5.6 per cent over the next two years to 6.3 per cent by 2023 and 6.7 per cent by 2024. This does not come as a surprise to many. Canada has been seeing record levels of labour shortages throughout the country. Because of this, Ontario has seen a higher demand for healthcare and tech workers throughout the year. However, there is a way to combat this prediction and help solve the labour shortage. The Government of Ontario has created new ways to attract international workers to come and work in Canada.

Expanding Ontario’s Health Care Workforce

The Ontario government is making additional changes that will break down barriers so that more health professionals can work in Ontario. Doing more to expand the province’s health workforce is a key part of the plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery to ensure people can continue to access the health care services they need, when they need.

“These changes will bring more health care workers into our health system faster, helping to care for people when they need it,” Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

The changes proposed by the government will support recruitment efforts. It will make it faster and easier for health care professionals trained in Ontario, other provinces and internationally to register and practice in Ontario. The changes that will come into effect immediately are

Allowing internationally educated nurses to register in a temporary class and begin working sooner while they work towards full registration;
Making it easier for non-practicing or retired nurses to return to the field. This is done by introducing flexibility to the requirement that they need to have practised nursing within a certain period of time before applying for reinstatement; and
Creating a new temporary independent practice registration class for physicians from other provinces and territories. This makes it easier for them to work for up to 90 days in Ontario.

Attempting to Solve Ontario’s Tech Workers shortage

Technology workers are in high demand in Canada. There are many opportunities to work in Ontario as a software developer or data scientist. The information and communications technology sector is full of in-demand jobs. An Information and Communications Technology Council report last year estimated that the country’s employers would need to fill an additional 250,000 technology jobs by 2025. In order to combat this, Ontario has multiple streams for foreign workers to apply through and gain work permits to add to Ontario’s labour force. One of them being the Global Talent Stream (GTS). The GTS is designed to process 80 per cent of applicants in two weeks or less. Canadian employers can use it to onboard foreign staff without delay. In order to take advantage of this fast-track work permit, employers must fall under two categories.

Category A: approved companies from a referral partner. Oftentimes this is local, government or semi-government agencies that are mandated to support local economies.
Category B: for employers who are looking for certain skilled workers whose occupations can be found on the Global Talent Occupations List (some include computer engineers, software engineers and designers, and information system analysts and consultants).

In addition, foreign tech workers who are hired through GTS must be paid at the prevailing wage or higher. Check out Canada’s Job Bank to see how much your field of work pays here in Canada.

Why Choose to Work in Ontario?

Ontario continues to be a top choice for international workers coming to join the labour force in the province. One of the biggest highlights for workers is the chance to earn one of the highest salaries in the entire country. Ontario has the second-highest income in Canada at $62,700 annually. Not to mention that Ontario has added over 150,000 new jobs throughout the year, welcoming skilled workers from overseas to fill these positions. Working in Ontario also means international workers can expect a well balanced work-life situation with additional work benefits from their employer. Some examples include sponsored gym memberships, flexible working hours, and personal skills development courses.

How can mana immigration help?

Canada has over 100 immigration and visa programs available for foreign nationals who are looking to work or live in the country. Contact us if you want to be part of the growing number of health care or tech workers in Canada. Mana immigration is a full-service immigration firm with more than thirty years of experience in Canadian visas. We have a team of Certified Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants specializing in business, economic and family classes. Our team represents and advises individuals to become permanent residents of Canada and live their dreams. “It has been our pleasure and goal to help our clients immigrate to Canada to expand, build, and buy their own business here to eventually be able to have their loved ones immigrate here and join them,” Founder Iman Moayedi. We offer free consultations to help you find the best pathway suited for you. To find out and talk to one of our immigration specialists, click the link here to get started today.