“Welc
ome to Canada. Now what?”
Deloitte released a white paper summary this month of what they are calling their 2011 “dialogue on diversity.”
The paper tackles issues such as how to set the stage to successfully integrate newcomers into the Canadian workforce, and draws upon recent stats on immigration and unemployment to make a business case for change.
The paper takes balanced approach by presenting the unique perspectives of both businesses as well as newcomers, addressing issues such as labour shortages, tolerance, “fit” and risk.
We commend Deloitte for tackling this important but sometimes cumbersome issue, and shedding new light on it, complete with stats, anecdotes and sound business advice. It is also apparent that Deloitte is a clear supporter of the internship model as a way for newcomers to gain meaningful, relevant work experience.
I’d also like to recommend the following video, from the Maytree Foundation, Toronto’s YouTube channel, which features Jane Allen, Partner and Chief Divrsity Officer at Deloitte talking about the barriers to employment immigrants face, and how employers can remove them: