Canada Migration

VICTORIA – Economic Development Minister, Colin Hansen, announced today the launch of a two-year pilot project aimed at filling serious labour shortages throughout British Columbia. The project is aimed at the tourism/hospitality and trucking industries by attracting and retaining foreign workers to British Columbia.

The B.C. Provincial Nominee Program will look to aid industries to retain workers recruited internationally through expedited access for permanent residency and allows spouses and dependents of nominee’s eligibility for residency.

“The trucking and tourism/hospitality industries play a critical role in our export-oriented economy, and are experiencing persistent labour shortages,” Hansen said. “B.C.’s labour shortages are no longer limited to skilled occupations.”

“The industry associations asked us to use the Provincial Nominee Program to help them retain valued foreign workers and reduce the loss of productivity and the ongoing costs of continuously having to replace temporary foreign workers,” Hansen said.

Occupations eligible for the pilot include long-haul truck drivers, and high-demand service occupations such as food and beverage servers, tour guides, hotel front desk clerks, food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and housekeepers.

Source: BC Government, Ministry of Social Development