Facing an aging workforce and heightened competition for talent, a growing number of Cornwall employers and institutions are increasing their international recruiting efforts to fuel the Seaway city’s economic growth.
Dozens of foreign nationals now work alongside their Canadian counterparts at major food processors, tech firms and manufacturers. Many have come into Canada under the federal temporary foreign worker program. Others have been international students at St. Lawrence College and are looking to establish careers in Canada.
It’s a collective effort that employers say they expect to pay long-term dividends for Cornwall’s economy.
“Employers are going to have to increasingly rely on foreign workers,” says Paula Fontaine, director of human resources at SigmaPoint Technologies. “Immigrants are the only future for Canada. And if we don’t allow more in, industries won’t be able to meet their customers’ demands and businesses will falter and close.”