Picture it as a service that bridges the gap between new Canadians and British Columbia-based companies in search of highly skilled employees.
Established in 1968, the Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) is the province’s longest-standing resource for new Canadians who want to begin a new life, integrate into Canadian society, and shape their own version of the Canadian dream.
Finding a new career can be daunting at the best of times, but even more challenging when settling into a new country and way of life.
At the same time, recruiting and selecting candidates can be time consuming and sometimes overwhelming, but ISSofBC can help employers connect with talented job seekers and professionals ready for work in all industries and occupations.
This process begins easily and seamlessly through an ISSofBC offering for companies looking specifically for experienced foreign workers across any number of job types: civil or software engineers, data analysts, marketing managers, and many more.
“Every day we have immigrants coming through our doors looking for jobs and they are highly skilled,” explains Ed Lima, who serves as ISSofBC’s business relations liaison - career services. “We can identify suitable candidates for a company’s positions and from there we can be the liaison between the company and the job seekers.”
ISSofBC helps make those connections and assists in virtually every step of the process.
And all of this is free of charge.
ISSofBC staffers help with writing resumes and English language services to begin the process, which then helps identify suitable job candidates.
This, in turn, saves recruiters time, effort, and money: there’s no need for headhunters, marketers, or advertising costs.
Free job matching and human resources support also comes with this ISSofBC service, along with assistance in scheduling job interviews.
“When we talk about the big picture, we want these companies to know that we can help them find skilled job seekers,” Lima explains. “This also encourages companies to invest in a diverse team, with a diversity in viewpoints and backgrounds.”
ISSofBC also holds monthly and bi-monthly job fairs, allowing job seekers to meet face to face with prospective employers.
This is a process that is simple by design. Companies interested in those job fairs contact ISSofBC and a booth is provided to them at the job fair. Job seekers, on the other hand, will know in advance which companies will be present, which equips those prospective employees with the necessary prep time and prior knowledge to easily make new connections.
“Depending on the companies that will be present, our employer relations specialists can determine which companies are the best fit with the job seekers,” Lima explains. “These are perfect opportunities for employers to interview candidates on the spot.”
As for how to define a “skilled job seeker,” Lima offers up an example of someone who worked as an engineer in their country of origin.
Here in Canada, that person has the knowledge and skills to work as an engineer but needs to work towards achieving their domestic accreditation.
“Although they cannot work as an engineer right away, they can start building their Canadian experience,” Lima explains.
That sense of the Canadian experience, along with his career at ISSofBC, is a point of pride for Lima.
He came to Canada from Brazil in 2019 looking to start a new life, much like the 20,000 clients ISSofBC serves each year.
Lima switched careers, switched homes and learned a new language.
He now boasts a master’s degree in administrative science.
“I look at this job as being able to give something back to new immigrants who are coming to Canada and just starting their lives here because I have walked in their shoes,” Lima says.
The search to expand your company’s talent pool begins at issbc.org/bizrelations
