Opportunities for Employers

The Employment Assistance Services (EAS) at IRSA support both new immigrants in establishing their career paths, and Island employers in finding the next best employee. The EAS team provides several types of services to companies and organizations operating in PEI. Please reach out — we will be happy to discuss your specific human resource needs.

Business information and recruitment sessions

Employers planning for future recruitment needs who are interested in providing information to skilled immigrant jobseekers regarding career opportunities can contact the EAS team to arrange a presentation to a group of newcomers.

If you are an employer, group of employers, or an industry sector doing ongoing recruiting, the EAS team can organize an information or recruitment session at our office, or at your location, free of charge. You may be interested in meeting with newcomer jobseekers to inform them about your company, your hiring practices, the types of positions you recruit for, and the required training. Our team will inform newcomers with relevant skills about your business and the ongoing opportunities and/or training they would need to fill future positions in your organization.

The Employment Assistance Services team will:

Arrange your presentation for free and host it at the IRSA office or at your location
Send out your presentation details to hundreds of immigrants eligible to work in Canada
Register clients attending your presentation
Provide interpreters where necessary

If your industry would like to make an information or recruitment presentation, please contact the EAS Coordinator by email or phone.

Job postings and employee screening

IRSA's employment staff take the time to understand each Island employer's unique staffing needs, to identify the best newcomer employee candidate to meet those needs, and to recommend wage subsidy programs if you and the employee qualify for them.

EAS employment specialists will:

Undertake initial planning and consultation to better understand your human resource needs
Pre-screen applicants to your specifications
Post your job advertisements (electronic mailing list direct to clients) to solicit applications to meet your criteria from a broad range of newcomer individuals legally able to work in Canada, who are seeking employment
Locate and provide information to you on available government wage subsidy programs
Help arrange a volunteer work placement so a skilled immigrant can gain valuable Canadian work experience
Support you, your workplace, and your newcomer employee with workplace cross-cultural training and personalized service, as requested

If your industry would like to share a job advertisement or have IRSA employment specialists identify qualified newcomer candidates for you, please contact the EAS Coordinator by email or phone.

Volunteer career matching program

Professional volunteers provide an invaluable service to newcomers to PEI. Different from the Professional Mentorship Program, this program may overlap occupational mentorship with English as an Additional Language tutor training. Mentors can provide informal advice, connections, moral support, and entry into professional networks that may allow a skilled immigrant to break into the job market at a level comparable with her or his training and education. This type of mentorship provides a valuable learning opportunity for both participants.

An established Islander who is working or has worked in a specific career, who undergoes standard volunteer screening and training, may mentor a newcomer or skilled worker in the same occupation.

A Volunteer in the Career Matching Program can assist an internationally-trained professional by:

Providing insight into the professional terminology used locally in the industry in focus
Helping a newcomer to gain confidence to pursue their goals
Promoting professional connections in a newcomer's chosen industry on PEI
Assisting a newcomer gain insight into the work culture in PEI
Supporting a newcomer to feel connected with the community, and the industry on PEI

Established Islanders, or newcomers who have lived on PEI for some time and have industry experience, are encouraged to apply for this program by contacting the EAL Volunteer Tutor Program or the EAS Coordinator by email or phone.

Employment bus tours

Employment Specialists arrange bus tours on behalf of newcomer clients and Island employers from various industries interested in connecting with prospective newcomer employees.

Previous tours have been arranged to 3Points Aviation, Vector Aerospace, Vanco Farms, Trout River Industries, Action Aero, and Balderston's Farm.

Employment Specialists:

Assist Island employers to connect to the newcomer labour market
Pre-screen newcomer participants so employers have better employment outcomes
Connect newcomers with possible career opportunities in industries they may not have considered previous to the bus tour
Organize a large number of newcomers with a range of experience, who are legally able to work in Canada and who are seeking employment, to visit a workplace seeking employees

Island businesses wanting to organize an employment bus tour to their workplace should contact the EAS team by email or phone.