British Columbia welcomed 28,513 immigrants in 2020, despite pandemic travel restrictions. This year IEC-BC’s programs have had a profound impact on immigrant employment outcomes. In 2020, IEC-BC registered almost 1600 newcomers in its programs, with 60% of participants on average employed after completing one or more of our programs.
IEC-BC works with BC employers to attract, hire and retain immigrant talent and develops programs to meet their workforce needs. IEC-BC’s suite of program offerings is an innovative and multifaceted approach to support newcomers as they begin their new life in British Columbia.
MentorConnect: Brings together skilled immigrants and established professionals in occupation-specific mentoring relationships.
FAST: A free, comprehensive set of online tools and resources helps skilled immigrants become better prepared for work in Canada and connects employers with internationally trained workers.
SPRINT: A ‘skills passport’ to help internationally trained individuals get hired faster in Canada’s growing tech and biotech industries and connects employers to a skilled talent pool.
BC JobConnect and Connections Events: Connects newcomers with employment opportunities and employer-led hiring events for jobseekers to showcase their skills and work experience.
ASCEND: An innovative and interactive blended learning program focusing on cultivating skilled newcomers’ essential workplace competencies (interpersonal, communication and soft skills).
PowerHack: A virtual hackathon event that provides employers with the opportunity to connect with highly skilled immigrant talents in the Information & Technology sector.
Read our 2020-2021 Annual Report for more details about the impact our programs have had on immigrant employment outcomes.