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| November 30, 2009 |
Vol 6, Issue 11 |
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Greetings! |
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CERC recently concluded its third annual national symposia entitled building Canada's Future Workforce. These cross country sessions were designed to help us understand the scope of change the economic turmoil of the past year has had on the workplace and the impact on the workforce of the future. The economy, demographic change, immigration policy and workplace diversity were key discussion themes throughout the events. At the end of the day the message was clear - although the downturn has been painful, shortages of skilled labour and talent will continue to be long term challenges.
E-News is always on the look-out for high quality content that would interest our readers. If you feel you have something to say about issues or trends that affect our industry, why not contact us with your story ideas. It's a great way to raise your professional profile, make your voice heard, and contribute to the development of your profession at CERC E-News.
I hope to see you at a CERC event soon.
Best regards,
Steve
Stephen Cryne President & CEO
Mark Your Calendars!
December 2, 2009
Pacific Social Event (Vancouver)
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Federal government to speed up foreign credential recognition
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 Under the new Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, foreign-trained workers who submit an application to be licensed or registered to work in certain fields will be advised within one year whether their qualifications will be recognized. The new framework is designed to enhance foreign qualification recognition for internationally trained workers. Occupations identified in the Framework are:
Architects
Engineers
Pharmacists
Physio and occupational therapists; and
Registered nurses. They will fall under the new guidelines beginning in 2011. Doctors and other professions will be eligible by the end of 2012. Read More |
Changes to Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program
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CERC is currently developing a response to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration regarding recently announced proposed regulatory amendments to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which include: a more rigorous assessment of the genuineness of the job offer; limits to the length of a worker's stay in Canada before returning home; and a two-year prohibition from hiring a temporary foreign worker for employers found to have provided significantly different wages, working conditions or occupations than promised. These changes will have a significant impact on organizations that rely on the foreign worker program. The government has provided a period of consultation and CERC will be responding on behalf of our members. If this is a concern for your organization we invite you to share your comments with us via email to info@cerc.ca with Temporary Foreign Worker Program in the subject line. Please note the deadline for your comments is Friday December 4, 2009 Read More |
Auditor General knocks Canadian immigration system
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 The Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, recently issued what might be described at best a failing report on Canada's immigration system. The audit found that the Department of Citizenship and Immigration needs to evaluate the performance of its current programs and develop a clear vision of what each is expected to contribute to immigration objectives. The audit found that some key decisions by the Department resulted in changes that have caused a significant shift in the types of foreign workers being admitted permanently to Canada. According to the report, "There is little evidence that this shift is part of any well-defined strategy to best meet the needs of the Canadian labour market." The report also found that little headway has been made in addressing the backlog of applications.
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Early Repatriation Study
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 The Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) and the Ted Rogers School of Business of Ryerson University have teamed up to conduct an in-depth investigation into the underlying reasons for early returns from international assignments. The study will expand on existing information obtained from industry surveys by asking employees who have returned early to provide specific, detailed information about their own experiences. Results of the study will be released in 2010 Read More
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Employ America Act
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 Legislation introduced in the U.S. recently entitled the ''Employ America Act'' is designed to prohibit major firms that lay off large numbers of American workers from hiring cheaper foreign labour through temporary guest worker programs. The Act, if approved, will require employers to certify that they have not and will not lay off a large number of employees before they are allowed to employ foreign workers in the United States.
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October a record breaking month for MLS® resale housing market
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 The average sale price increased to $341,000 in October 2009, an increase of $58,496 over that recorded in October 2008, according to data released by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Residential sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) of Canadian real estate boards numbered 42,288 units. This is up 41.5 per cent compared to October 2008, when news of the global financial crisis hammered consumer confidence. New records for the month were reported in about one-fifth of local markets, including Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
Read More
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In China an easy route to academic glory
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 Often overlooked in the "miracle" of China's rapid economic development over the past three decades is the "miracle" in the massive number of PhD graduates it now produces.
China is expected to replace Japan as the world's second-biggest economy - after the United States - this year or the next in terms of gross domestic product. But by 2008, it had already surpassed the US as the world's top producer of PhD holders - despite post-graduate programs only resuming in 1978 after the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution.
Unlike national pride over China's economic success, the expansion of PhD programs is viewed with suspicion.
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Talent squeeze in finance sector
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 According to a survey of Senior Business and Human Resources executives recently released, found that despite the global financial crises this past year, which has seen unemployment rise, there remains a shortage of high-quality skilled professionals to fill positions in the financial services sector in Canada. As a result, business executives expressed concerned about losing business opportunities and bench strength to support operations.
The survey conducted by Watson Gardner Brown, a financial services recruitment firm in Toronto, indicates that 80% of respondents project either a loss of business opportunities (40%) or a lack of bench strength (40%) to support their business operations this year and into the next decade.
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Fighting the flu
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 According to to this article at Canadian Buisness.com, big businesses are spending serious time and money trying to limit the swine flu pandemic's impact on operations, from bankrolling video on good hygiene to training employees to cover for co-workers with critical jobs.
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Social technology and you
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 Has blocking Facebook today become the equivalent of denying an employee access to a phone at work 40 years ago or email 20 years ago? In a study conducted by Robert Half Technology entitled "Whistle But Don't Tweet At Work," many organizations are struggling with how to integrate social media into the workplace. This article explores the benefits of an "über-connected" workplace.
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| CERC Careers |
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Employers - post your positions or search resumes from registered prospective employees.
Job Seekers - search positions (simply insert Relocation into the keyword search) and post your resume online at the CERC Career Centre.
Specialist, Global Relocation Programs
Research in Motion Ltd
Waterloo, ON
Business Development Manager
TransferEASE Relocation Inc Mississauga, ON
Relocation Counsellor
Weichert Relocation Resources
Calgary, AB
Domestic Relocation Coordinator
TheMIGroup
Calgary, AB
Relocation Coordinator
TheMIGroup
Calgary, AB
Business Process Coordinator
TheMIGroup
Calgary, AB
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 E-News Sponsor |
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Help spread the word about CERC. Forward this E-News to a friend or colleague by clicking on the link above. We hope that you continue to enjoy receiving this electronic update. This monthly compilation of articles from wire services, newspapers, and other sources is intended to keep CERC members and visitors to cerc.ca informed of trends and news in mobility, HR developments and general business news from Canada and around the world. Facts have not been independently verified, and opinions expressed are those of the editor. Readers are invited to clarify, correct, or expand on these items. If you have an idea for a story, or would like to contribute an article, please send an email to info@cerc.ca.
Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC)
180 Dundas Street West, Suite 1010
Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8
Tel: 416-593-9812
Toll Free: 1-866-357-CERC (2372)
Fax: 416-593-1139
Leadership for Workforce Mobility |
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