When International Recruiting Becomes a Necessity

Update on 2023, May 29

The workforce shortage is a concern for all entrepreneurs. Looking for a solution? Your skilled workers could be abroad.

According to a Grant Thornton International report released in 2023, almost 60% of business leaders around the world cited a lack of skilled workers as a constraint to their growth.

The workforce shortage—a lasting trend

This trend is not expected to end any time soon. n March 2023, Statistics Canada counted more than 205,000 job vacancies in Quebec, all sectors combined, and 815,000 across Canada. This number will grow over the next few years. According to Retraite Québec projections, more than a million workers will retire over the next 10 years.

The situation in Québec

Statistics prove it: the number of workers in the domestic market is no longer sufficient. Québec has one of the highest vacancy rates in the country. This labour shortage affects many sectors, including manufacturing, retail and distribution, health care and accommodation and food services.

To a certain extent, staff turnovers are predictable, for example, due to retirements. The best way to meet labour needs is to plan on hiring in advance of the expected departure of certain workers. This makes it possible to maintain production and avoid potentially long recruiting periods due to the scarcity of labour on the local market.

Recognizing the symptoms

Considering the pace of the situation in the Québec job market, companies that are proactive in the area of international recruitment will have a better chance of maintaining their productivity.

Experts have long noted that the number of young graduates is not sufficient to satisfy the demand, with more people retiring than the next generation of workers. Moreover, businesses need to be able to rely on an additional workforce to ensure their growth.

Here are some of the symptoms observed when traditional recruiting is no longer sufficient in a company:

If your organization is experiencing these symptoms, it may be time to consider other staff recruiting options.

According to Emploi-Québec estimates, the future immigrant population will soon account for one in four workers in the labour supply. This is a pool of available new candidates that few companies are considering, yet it is proving to be a viable solution.

The answer: move out of the traditional pool of candidates

Again, according to Emploi-Québec estimates, young people entering the labour market by 2031 represent only 50% of the labour supply. There is therefore a significant shortfall if we rely solely on the next generation of workers. Recalling retirees and increasing overtime can meet productivity needs, but these are only stop-gap solutions that cannot be sustained in the medium term.

The solution to labour shortages lies in the non-traditional population, such as people with disabilities, Aboriginals, immigrants or internationally recruited workers. If companies continue to opt for traditional staff recruiting methods, they will only be going round in circles since they will have to attract employees from competitors, who will in turn attract them back.

In this context where everyone draws from the same pool of candidates, where there is not enough succession to fill the growth in vacancies and where companies can no longer attract the best candidates by increasing salaries, international recruiting provides a better outcome.

But where do you start?

Recruiting internationally requires customized solutions. While the hiring process may be more complex than in the local market, using qualified, authorized professionals in this field simplifies and accelerates the process.

With a global network of recruiting partners and multidisciplinary teams of professionals, AURAY Sourcing, a subsidiary of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, has recognized expertise in talent acquisition, immigration and integration of foreign workers, enabling it to offer a turnkey solution tailored to its clients’ needs.

Here is an overview of an international recruiting process when a company uses AURAY Sourcing’s services:

Quality candidates

The selection of candidates is coordinated by international talent acquisition professionals. Based on interview templates and reports, candidates with superior ratings are recommended for further consideration. Each rating is based on an analysis of the resume as well as the entire application.

By leveraging this rigorous process, AURAY is able to offer its clients competent and motivated candidates to come and settle in Québec and integrate into the culture and the environment. Every effort is made to promote their successful integration.

To find out more about our support services and solutions, contact an AURAY Sourcing expert for a free consultation.