The current economic context favours taking a close look at this issue.
We conducted a study in five regions of Québec outside the Montréal census metropolitan area.
The current economic context in Québec favours taking a close look at the regionalization of immigration.
The main objective was to identify the challenges and issues confronting employers when it comes to the process of attracting, integrating and retaining immigrant workers. The study was structured around four questions that attempted to elucidate the issues and challenges facing employers in these regions. To meet our objectives and provide answers to these questions, we conducted 98 semi-structured interviews with employers and 25 interviews with key stakeholders (community organizations, chambers of commerce and others).
Six main challenges and issues identified by employers emerge from the study. These are as follows: 1) Scarcity of labour; 2) Staffing issues; 3) Retention; 4) Extra-professional aspects; 5) Language and communication; 6) Diversity management.
Five further challenges and issues were raised by the key stakeholders in addition to those of the employers. Taken together, these data highlight the difficulties and the importance of concerted actions and strategic visions for all stakeholders involved in the attraction/integration/retention ecosystems under study. In addition, 40 proposals for these same stakeholders are presented.
Main researcher
Sébastien Arcand, HEC Montréal
Deposit of the research report: January 2019