Integrating international workers

International workers are a key source of HR talent for many businesses, but are often overlooked by others.

In partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University, we carried out research to better understand how employers in the Grand Erie area recruit, integrate, and retain internationally trained workers (ITWs).

Among the key findings:

• Many employers are applying promising practices, such as targeted recruitment outreach, culturally sensitive onboarding, mentorship and language help, and also provide career development opportunities.
• Employers who used these strategies for integrating international workers observed that new staff adapted their skills faster and there was a stronger sense of belonging amongst employees.
• The integration of these practices is uneven, often determined by a company’s size and resources. Larger organizations tend to have the resources and capacity to embed processes, whereas small businesses (under 100 employees) – which make up 98% of businesses – face constraints that limit the scope and sustainability of their integration efforts.
• Addressing these gaps requires employers, policymakers, and community organizations to work together to facilitate full and equitable integration.
• Employers’ use of credential recognition tools and socialization is often limited by a lack of awareness, capacity, or priority setting.

Providing internationally trained workers with timely access to information and social resources helps them.

But it also helps local businesses – particularly those in sectors that face skilled talent shortages, such as manufacturing, the trades, healthcare and social services – address their hiring needs.

Tools to help local businesses

This research led to the creation of the Internationally Trained Workforce section of WPBGE’s Business Resource Toolkit.

The toolkit includes:

• A Directory of useful links to organizations, tools, and support services to help employers connect with and hire internationally trained workers
• A Guide to hiring internationally trained workers that uses infographics to show the benefits and best practices

Click on the buttons to get to these resources.