Hiring displaced talent in Canada

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Program overview

Talent Beyond Boundaries is proud to be a trusted partner under the Government of Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP).

The EMPP is Canada's model for refugee labour mobility. It is a ground-breaking initiative that welcomes displaced people with the skills that Canadian employers need through Canada's existing economic immigration streams. The EMPP is not a pathway, but rather a suite of administrative facilitative measures that reduce or eliminate common barriers that refugees face when accessing labour mobility pathways.

In Canada, TBB works in collaboration with Jumpstart Refugee Talent, a national refugee-led organization that serves refugees as they secure meaningful economic empowerment. TBB Canada and Jumpstart work together to facilitate job-matching between Canadian employers and displaced job seekers.

TBB Canada also works in partnership with Fragomen Canada to ensure that certified immigration representation is not a barrier either to employers participating in the EMPP or to skilled refugees.

Eligibility

To participate in this pilot, displaced job-seekers must be a refugee or displaced person outside of their home country and meet the Government of Canada’s eligibility requirements. For candidates who meet the requirements but lack the appropriate documents, TBB can provide a trusted partner referral letter. Fragomen Canada assesses each TBB employer and candidate to ensure they are eligible to participate in the EMPP.

If you are a candidate interested in nominating yourself for the No Job Offer Stream, please click here.

Canadian employers and recruiters who are interested in accessing TBB’s talent pool should complete our request to hire form. We will then set up a meeting to learn more about your recruitment needs and discuss whether our program is a good fit.

Step-by-step process

  • Job-Matching

    • Employer selects role(s) they need filled. We provide a shortlist of suitable candidates.

    • We facilitate remote or in-person recruitment
    (e.g. interviews, skills validation, etc.).

    • Employer issues job offer(s), TBB supports informed decision making.

  • Immigration

    • We require employers to use a licensed immigration representative for the visa application.

    • Fragomen, our preferred provider, supports the application for employer and employee.

  • Relocation

    • We help the employer prepare for the arrival of their new recruit.

    • We connect employees with local settlement services so they and their families receive support.

Recruitment

TBB’s program is employer-driven. Based on the recruitment criteria supplied by the employer (eg. a job poster or work description), TBB will identify suitable candidates for vacant position/s, check candidates’ immigration eligibility, and provide a shortlist of candidates for review. Employers have the option to take any/all of these candidates through a normal recruitment process (interviews, skills tests, etc). Meanwhile, we support candidates to understand the Canadian labour market and recruitment expectations.

When the recruitment process is complete, employers can extend an official job offer to preferred candidate/s. We then support employer and candidate through the immigration and relocation process.

Immigration and relocation

Once a job offer is made and accepted, TBB works with the employer and our preferred immigration partner, Fragomen (or the employer’s chosen immigration provider) to prepare the immigration application on behalf of the business and the candidate. Fragomen monitors the immigration process to ensure smooth visa processing and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

Welcoming new arrivals

Together with Jumpstart and a network of local partners, TBB supports Canadian employers to make arrangements for the relocation of successful candidates. This includes connecting candidates and their families to local support services to ensure they are effectively settled into their new community.

Successful candidates usually begin work 1-2 weeks after arrival in the country. EMPP candidates are entitled to the full suite of economic immigration settlement services upon arrival in Canada.

TBB stays connected with the employer and the candidate for 12 months post-relocation to help ensure a good settlement outcome.

We are also supportive of ‘autonomous access’, meaning that - where Canadian employers connect with displaced job seekers independently - TBB may be able to support both parties through the immigration and relocation process. For job seekers, the Government of Canada’s Job Bank is a good resource to start connecting with employers independently (keeping in mind that a job offer alone does not guarantee eligibility for immigration to Canada). In addition, many communities participating in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) post job vacancies on their websites.

Autonomous Access

We are also supportive of ‘autonomous access’, meaning that - where Canadian employers connect with displaced job seekers independently - TBB may be able to support both parties through the immigration and relocation process. For job seekers, the Government of Canada’s Job Bank is a good resource to start connecting with employers independently (keeping in mind that a job offer alone does not guarantee eligibility for immigration to Canada). In addition, many communities participating in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) post job vacancies on their websites.

 “Talent Beyond Boundaries connects skilled refugees with countries and companies that need their skills, forging new sustainable solutions for refugees to rebuild their lives while boosting the global economy.”

Government of Canada and UNHCR | EMPP–Policy Principles and Lessons Learned

Timeline

Applications submitted under the EMPP are for permanent residence, and receive priority processing. Under the federal pathway, the government service standards on the approval process can take up to 6 months.

Costs

The costs for hiring talent through the EMPP are less than other international recruitment, and include: 

  • Government fees: While most government fees are waived under the EMPP, provincial or territorial application fees and the ‘Right of Permanent Residence’ fees may apply in some cases;

  • Certified immigration advice and application preparation fees: provided low bono by Fragomen; and, 

  • Transportation: Flights may be covered by our non-profit partner Miles4Migrants, depending on availability.

In addition, we recommend that employers pay for a minimum of four weeks of temporary accommodation. 

TBB and Jumpstart do not charge for the recruitment and settlement coordination services that we provide. However, as non-profit organizations, we encourage employers to consider a charitable donation (receipts provided) to partner with us in promoting and expanding refugee labour mobility as a global solution.  

For reference, each EMPP job match requires approximately $2,500 of TBB staff time, including domestic operations in Canada, as well as overseas candidate sourcing and partnerships development staff.

Getting started

Interested in hiring displaced job seekers in Canada?

Complete our request to hire form today or contact us for more information.

 

FAQ

  • The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is committed to bringing 2,000 skilled refugees to Canada, plus their dependent family members.

  • Our model is employer-driven. TBB shortlists candidates based simply on how closely their skills and experience match the job description provided by an employer.

    The more information we have, the stronger a shortlist we can provide. The final decision about whether or not to hire a candidate is always made independently by the employer.

  • Yes, TBB may be able to assist you with the immigration and relocation process (depending on the role you are hiring for and the specific circumstances of the candidate).

    However we can only assist candidates who have registered on the Talent Catalog - so before you reach out to us, ensure your preferred candidate has signed up.

    Email us with details of the role you’re hiring for and your candidate’s TBB registration number. We will then be able to assess our ability to assist you.

  • Yes. The principal applicant is entitled to bring their spouse or de facto partner and any dependent children with them to Canada. All dependent family members are entitled to economic immigration settlement support services.

  • The EMPP is designed to be complementary and additional to Canada’s commitments to humanitarian refugee resettlement.

    Refugees who relocate to Canada on employment-based visas do not reduce the number of refugees who can relocate through the humanitarian resettlement program.

    TBB supports the work of UNHCR and encourages Canada to continue to grow and strengthen its humanitarian resettlement program.

  • Yes, there are other ways to contribute to the work of refugee labour mobility:

    Donate: TBB is a non-profit organization. Funding partners make donations of all sizes to support our work helping refugees resume their careers and rebuild their lives. You can make a donation here, or contact us to discuss different options for support.

    Volunteer: Giving your time as a volunteer is another way to support TBB. There are a variety of opportunities in Canada for volunteers, interns and pro-bono advisors with the skills and drive to support our mission. Please complete this Volunteer Registration form to let us know how you’d like to get involved.

  • Please refer to this link for more information on applying with a trusted partner referral letter.