While employment opportunities in major cities continue to draw the lion’s share of attention, the reality is there’s a critical need for skilled employees in smaller cities and rural communities from coast to coast.
As of late 2024, Statistics Canada data stated that employers in these areas continue to report significant hiring challenges, with a large portion of businesses in rural areas and small towns continually anticipating labour-related issues. Of their main concerns, recruitment and retention rise to the top.
“The fact is that most newcomers are drawn to highly populated areas because they believe that they’re more likely to find opportunities or have established connections there. Many newcomers, though, simply don’t know that smaller communities exist and offer opportunities that align with their skill set and interests,†said Saima Aziz, senior manager of pre-arrival programs at ACCES Employment, a national leader in workforce development that connects jobseekers — both those already in Canada and those approved to immigrate — with relevant and motivated employers.
“At the same time, employers in smaller urban and rural communities are finding it hard to meet their hiring needs and may be interested in newcomer talent, but they often lack the resources or capacity to recruit internationally,†she said.
“Many also have limited awareness of their ability to connect with skilled immigrants before they’ve landed in Canada, through pre-arrival services. Employers that aren’t used to seeing as many highly skilled immigrants land in their communities, may not realize the language proficiency of many internationally educated professionals (IEPs), lack an understanding of their global credentials, or don’t realize that this talent pool is there for them to recruit from.â€
Here’s where ACCES’s pre-arrival programs are making a difference for jobseekers and employers alike. Through initiatives like the and programs, their team is bridging the gap between skilled, experienced newcomers and workforce needs in smaller communities.
By preparing pre-arrival clients months before their arrival, through synchronous and asynchronous learning and one-to-one coaching support, ACCES helps jobseekers gain a preemptive understanding of the Canadian labour market, while also proactively connecting them with opportunities across the country.
“As a result of the connections we helped them make with employers, 25 per cent of the pre-arrival clients who participated in Connecting Canada chose to move to smaller communities they had not originally planned to live in,” Aziz said. “Over the last decade of delivering pre-arrival services, more than 20 per cent of ACCES pre-arrival clients secured employment before or shortly after arriving in Canada, with another 60+ per cent securing meaningful employment within their first year.â€
Beyond connecting newcomers to jobs, pre-arrival programs also educate them on the economic and lifestyle benefits of settling in smaller urban and rural areas. Via a series of pre-arrival opportunities, including virtual hiring and networking events, jobseekers gain a better understanding of the benefits of living in smaller communities, while employers can directly engage with newcomers and discuss opportunities.
And because ACCES has partnered with an array of local economic development offices and regional organizations, including CDETNO in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Economic Development Lethbridge in Alberta, and many more, IEPs have the opportunity to consider a diverse range of job prospect locations before their arrival.
“Doing all we can to help newcomers achieve meaningful employment while supporting the labour demands of Canadian communities is our goal,†said Aziz. “Ensuring that newcomers have access to a range of opportunities across Canada — and not just in major cities — is a key component. In doing so, we’re not only strengthening smaller communities, but we’re fostering a strong and more robust national workforce.â€
“Employers across Canada are actively turning to our Connecting Canada program to meet their workforce needs — tapping into a pipeline of skilled, diverse, pre-arrival talent ready to contribute from day one,†said Allison Pond, president and CEO, ACCES Employment.
To learn more about ACCES’ pre-arrival programs, visit .
