CANADA, March 21 - Recruiting skilled workers will be top priority as a PEI industry-led business delegation attends upcoming job fairs overseas.

The Island delegation will travel to the Newcomers Canada‘s recruitment events in Birmingham, England and Dublin, Ireland between April 24-27 where hundreds of job seekers will meet with potential employers. 

The Office of Immigration will pre-arrange interviews for Island employers with qualified tradespeople interested in working on Prince Edward Island. Successful tradespeople will then be supported by provincial immigration staff as they begin the process of moving to Prince Edward Island.

Additional recruitment overseas missions focused on construction trades are currently being planned for Mexico and Vietnam later this year.

Quotes: 

“The provincial housing strategy identifies the need for an average of 2,000 homes per year over the next six years. To do that, we need to focus on and invest in strategic workforce development. We will continue to work across government and with industry, employers and immigration partners on targeted recruitment activities that can grow our skilled labour workforce.” 

-    Hon. Rob Lantz, Minister of Housing, Land and Communities

“The Island’s construction industry has been growing steadily over the years, but the pressure on building up our public infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing population means we have to pursue other recruitment pathways for skilled workers. Overseas missions with a strong PEI delegation led by construction trades and industry leaders, where we match future Island skilled workers with local employers, will fast-track us to the sustainable trades workforce that PEI needs.”
-    Hon. Jenn Redmond, Minister of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population

“Now is a time to try more creative recruitment tactics as we explore new opportunities for skilled trades people from far and away to make our Island their new home. Let’s show them what we have to offer and encourage them to help us build a better PEI. It will take a combined effort of local training, education, and exploring new ideas and pathways to help us build a better future.” 
-    Sam Sanderson, General Manager of the Construction Association of Prince Edward Island
 
Media contact:
Vicki Tse
Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population
vickitse@gov.pe.ca  

Backgrounder:

The Island delegation includes the following organizations and businesses:

• AMAC Electric
• Biovectra
• Bulk Carriers
• Canadian Home Builder’s Association of Prince Edward Island
• Construction Association of Prince Edward Island
• CP Construction 
• Health PEI
• PEI Department of Health and Wellness