In 2021, World Education Services (WES) launched a series of community engagement pilot projects aimed at testing the effectiveness of engaging employers in creating customized versions of practical resources designed to attract, engage, and retain immigrant talent.

WES identified three pilot communities: the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, the Regional Municipality of Durham, and Greater Moncton. While each community had different levels of experience in integrating immigrants into the workforce, all were home to high numbers of immigrants, all had expanding job markets, and all were already making progress on plans and strategies for including immigrants in their local economic development – all of which was key to successful participation in the pilot.

Insights gained throughout the pilot process have guided the development of a range of products and tools to help local employers hire immigrant talent.

What does this paper offer?

• Presents key findings and lessons learned from the pilot projects
• Includes feedback from the participating regions and employers

Who is this paper for?

This paper is for groups that are committed to recognizing the potential of the immigrant talent pool in their areas, including:

• Provincial and municipal governments
• Economic development organizations
• Settlement agencies

Download the #ImmigrantsWork paper to learn more about the methodology, process, and outcomes.