From Insights to Action: How Niagara Employers Are Shaping Inclusive Workforce Solutions 

Workforce Collective is home to Niagara’s Immigrant Employment Council – offering solutions, tools and resources to help employers attract, hire, train and retain newcomer talent. 
 
In partnership with Immigrant Employment Councils across Canada, we’ve been engaging employers and other system actors through the National Feedback Channels project. Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and coordinated by the Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC), this project aims to engage employers and other system actors in nine communities across Canada to explore challenges, barriers and opportunities in immigrant employment.  

Why It Matters for Niagara 

Niagara is growing, and so is our need for a workforce that reflects our region’s diversity. Newcomers are vital to filling talent gaps, especially in key areas like skilled trades and healthcare, but they often face barriers that make accessing meaningful employment difficult. Whether it’s credential recognition, language barriers, or simply navigating the immigration system, these challenges create missed opportunities—for both employers and newcomers. 

Through this project, we’re working to better understand these challenges and explore what’s needed to create more inclusive, welcoming workplaces in Niagara. Our goal is to help employers build stronger teams by tapping into the diverse skillsets of newcomers, and to support newcomers in finding jobs that align with their experience and qualifications. 

Key Insights from Niagara 

Over the past year, as we’ve hosted forums and gathered feedback from employers, some key themes have emerged that reflect both the challenges and opportunities in Niagara’s workforce. 

• Skills Mismatch: One of the biggest challenges we’ve seen is the mismatch between the skills newcomers bring and the jobs available to them in Niagara. While there are hundreds of job openings in industries like healthcare and manufacturing, newcomers often have difficulty successfully finding employment that aligns with their experience and skillset. This results in underemployment, with many newcomers working in roles beneath their skill level, and employers unable to fill crucial vacancies. Factors such as language barriers and credential recognition contribute to this challenge.  Forum participants suggest more targeted, accessible training programs, particularly those offering specialized language and sector-specific skills, could help bridge this gap. Employers have a role to play here, too, by engaging in mentorship programs or co-op partnerships that support newcomers as they transition into the Canadian workforce. 
• Navigating the System:  The immigrant employment system is complex. From work permits to credential recognition, newcomers often face confusing processes that can delay their job search. And for employers, it’s just as daunting. Many businesses want to hire newcomer talent but struggle to understand where to begin or how to access the right resources. Forum participants highlighted the need for better coordination within the system and the need for a centralized hub of information to improve accessibility for employers and newcomers alike.
• Building Welcoming Workplaces: Creating inclusive workplaces is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential. However, many employers in Niagara, especially small businesses without dedicated Human Resource teams, are unsure how to implement diversity and inclusion strategies. Some of the most effective steps we’ve seen include mentorship programs, cultural competence training, and revising policies and procedures to ensure they are inclusive for all employees, including newcomers. 
• Addressing Discrimination and Bias: One of the most difficult barriers for newcomers is the presence of systemic discrimination and unconscious bias in recruitment processes. Despite their qualifications, many newcomers are still overlooked due to a lack of Canadian experience. Changing mindsets and behaviors around hiring newcomer talent is key to building a more inclusive Niagara. 

Moving Forward 

We’re excited to continue collaborating with employers and other system actors to build a more inclusive workforce here in Niagara.  Employers who are interested in addressing challenges related to immigrant employment and enhancing their recruitment and retention of newcomer talent are encouraged to connect with us  for support.  Let’s work together to build a stronger, more inclusive Niagara!