Local Employers and Newcomers Unite to Overcome Barriers and Build a Stronger Workforce in Winnipeg

Sept 25, 2024 — Winnipeg, MB –Manitoba is holding its first annual Refugee Hiring Event in Winnipeg on September 25. The event, which is hosted by the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable, provides refugees and forcibly displaced persons in Manitoba the chance to gain valuable interview skills and secure jobs with top local employers – and to overcome a key barrier that many newcomers face in getting access to first jobs: the Canadian work requirement.

“I commend the collaborative efforts of the local agencies involved in creating enhanced pathways to employment for refugees,” said Darrell Pinto, Director of Employment at Jumpstart Refugee Talent. “Manitoba is demonstrating innovative leadership.”

The Refugee Hiring Event model is both unique and extraordinarily effective, says Pinto. “It has proven to be 13 times more effective than traditional job fairs,” he says. Indeed, a 2023 Refugee Hiring Event in Toronto resulted in second-round interviews for 160 job-seekers and six on-the-spot job offers – an 86% success rate. A June 2023 event in Moncton resulted in either job offers or second-round interviews for 85% of attendees.

Manitoba, where immigrants represented 20% of the total population as of 2022, is well-suited to the unique model. “After seeing the model’s success in Moncton and Toronto, I look forward to seeing Manitoba’s first Refugee Hiring Event bring to light all the diverse skills and experiences newcomers can bring to the labour market,” said the Honourable Ratna Omidvar, co-chair of the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable. “Establishing a livelihood in a new country can be challenging. The Refugee Hiring Event is a great step to give newcomers a chance to find meaningful employment and additional support they may need. It also connects partners and employers in one productive platform”

Among the Manitoba businesses who plan to attend are Canad Inns, Interprovincial Cooperative Limited (IPCO), Epic Opportunities, Price Industries Limited, Purolator, Scotiabank, Simaril Inc., Sysco, and World System Builder. These employers will arrive seeking to interview and hire candidates, who have been pre-screened and matched with interview opportunities. Candidates also receive one-on-one interview coaching in advance of the event.

“This event is tailored to the specific labour market needs of employers,” said Michele Hazell, Executive Director at Manitoba Start, an organization specializing in career and job support for newcomers. “It connects them with a pool of qualified pre-screened talent, ensuring a more efficient and effective recruitment process – and hiring individuals that have come to Manitoba as refugees (i.e. Ukraine, Africa, etc.)  offers employers a wealth of benefits, including a diverse range of skillsets and perspectives.”

The Manitoba event, organized by Jumpstart Refugee Talent, Manitoba Immigrant Employment Council, Manitoba Start, and World Education Services, is just the latest example of a larger effort by a network of 150 Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable members to increase refugees’ access to meaningful employment opportunities and employers’ access to needed talent.

Network members have spearheaded previous hiring events and developed a replicable model that they hope to see adopted by municipalities all over the country. To that end, the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable offers on-demand training and other resources to enable cities and province to host their own hiring events. “The Refugee Hiring Event has been successful in connecting employers with refugee talent in other cities,” said Shamira Madhany, Deputy Executive Director, WES and Managing Director, Canada. “I’m excited to see this model continue to expand across the country and expand horizons of opportunity.”

Other participating partners behind the Manitoba event are Healthy Muslim Families, Immigrant Centre Manitoba, Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, Opportunities for Employment, Starbucks Canada, Success Skills Centre, and Welcome Place.

“Refugees bring a wealth of skills, experience, and talent to the Manitoba labour market,” said Steve Reynolds, Executive Director at Regional Connections, Manitoba-Immigrant Employment Council. “We’re thrilled to be a part of the first ever Refugee Hiring Event here in Manitoba!”

To learn more about the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable, please visit www.welcomingeconomy.ca.  

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About Manitoba Start
Manitoba Start connects businesses to a world-class workforce and is the leading provider of career services for newcomers to the province. We address employers’ recruitment needs by matching the unique skill sets of qualified, job-ready newcomers with employers’ specific job requirements. We are a not-for-profit organization with charitable status and funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of Manitoba. We receive core funding from Labour and Immigration. All newcomers and staffing services are offered at no charge.

About Manitoba Immigrant Employment Council
The Manitoba Immigrant Employment Council is a non-profit project that networks employers and provides them with solutions, tools, and resources to recognize and integrate newcomer talent in the workplace. We believe in the win-win potential of Manitoba employers and newcomer employees benefitting from the application of proven hiring, onboarding, and retention best practices.

About Jumpstart Refugee Talent
Jumpstart Refugee Talent is an international, refugee-led charitable organization, headquartered in Toronto, Canada with a network of offices throughout Canada and around the world. Our work is dedicated to supporting the economic inclusion of refugees, refugee claimants, and forcibly displaced individuals, by connecting them with meaningful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. We are also committed to assisting displaced people in finding durable solutions by leveraging labour mobility pathways and ensuring their relocation and successful integration into new communities.

About World Education Services
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise that supports the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students. From evaluating academic credentials to shaping policy, designing programs, and providing philanthropic funding, we partner with a diverse set of organizations, leaders, and networks to uplift individuals and drive systems change.

 For more information, contact Bisi Adebayo, Outreach & Partnerships Manager at Manitoba-Immigrant Employment Council.