Canadian Immigrant - November 2023

above Pratik Panchal
another shot,” he says. “They educated me about
the immense opportunities and superior pay
scales in the trades and that was encouraging.
When I see many of my peers struggling to find
jobs, I feel I made the right choice.”
Panchal is determined to rise in the industry
and is already working towards certifications for
the next step in his area of work.
Feeding the demand for skilled workers
For a few years now, Canada has been facing
shortages in several areas in skilled trades.
According to Statistics Canada, the demand
for skilled trades workers like Panchal rose
significantly in 2021 and 2022. Job vacancies
in trades, transport and equipment operators
and related occupations more than doubled as
did vacancies in trades-related industries such
as construction. Other in-demand jobs include
heavy-duty equipment technician, construction
electrician, industrial mechanic (millwright),
plumber, truck and transport mechanic,
electrician, hairstylist and welder.
A recent RBC report finds that some of the
most serious shortages will affect trades related
to infrastructure, namely, industrial mechanics,
welders and boilermakers, with 700,000 skilled
tradespeople expected to retire by 2028.
Employment and Social Development Canada
(ESDC) is also projecting a need for over 256,000
new apprentices over the next five years.
In an effort to deal with this crisis of increased
demand, in August this year, Canada announced
new pathways for newcomers with experience
in trades, to fill specific labour needs by issuing
invitations to prospective permanent residents
with specific skills and training. In this scenario,
newcomers with a skilled trade background have
a number of opportunities awaiting them.
However, there are concerns about the lack of
awareness amongst newcomers around the job
openings in skilled trades.
“Newcomers might not be fully informed
about the opportunities available in these sectors
due to a lack of information or guidance,” says
Sharvari Jois, the director of online services
and mentoring at JVS Toronto, an organization
providing pre-arrival supports for landed
immigrants to complete their Trade Equivalency
Assessment (TEA) among other services.
She also notes that there is some
hesitation to pursue careers in skilled trades.
“The misconception that trades jobs are
‘underemployment jobs’ in some countries and
among newcomers, increases the lack of interest
to explore these jobs,” she says.
Breaking the stigma around skilled trades
For some newcomers who come from a
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