Canadian Province Looks Towards India for Recruiting Tech Talent

The British Columbia is looking to recruit immigrant talent from India, Philippines and Nigeria to fill the shortfall of 30,000 skilled individuals for tech-related jobs, Patrick Mackenzie, the CEO of the Immigrant Employment Council of the Canadian province, said, IANS reported.

The British Columbia, a south western province in Canada, is one of the fastest growing tech ecosystems in the world, which houses more than 10,000 companies and accounts for about $29 billion in revenue.

There are huge openings for immigrants as information system analysts, consultants, software engineers and designers and computer system managers as “the current supply cannot meet the industry’s growing demands for tech talent,” Mackenzie said on the sidelines of the third annual BCTECH Summit on May 16, according to the report.

“By 2021, there will be an anticipated shortfall of over 30,000 skilled individuals to fill tech-related jobs in the province,” he said.

Calling India a crucial market, Mackenzie said: “India is a leader in the tech sector and the Council has a very clear picture how to rope in talent and to tell the immigrants what they can look for and do in Canada.”

He added: “There are many international immigrants including Indians in Vancouver.”

Stressing that immediate action is required by the provincial and federal governments, Mackenzie said that the employment gap will severely limit the potential growth of the industry.

The “2016 Tech Talent BC Report,” whose focus was on immigrants, has observed there are three talent pools — new entrants or recent graduates, immigrants and other local supply to include career transitioners and people from under-represented groups.

The report said that the country needs to source 8,500 more immigrants than are currently projected to arrive in British Columbia by 2021.

The province’s premier John Horgan in his address at the plenary session at the summit increased the figure to 9,600 more people.

Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, British Columbia, while calling the province home to globally-recognized talent, said: “However, we know the government cannot grow the tech sector alone, and we need strong partnerships –within the private sector, with other levels of government, with educators, and between our traditional industries and innovative tech companies- to continue to develop the emerging economy.”

According to Mackenzie, despite the high number of openings even in this year, over 3,600 jobs will remain unfilled till 2020-21. “We need 8,500 immigrants with skills,” he added.