“When employers need workers with skills that they can’t fill from within Prince Edward Island, we are happy to work with them to find the talented people they need,” said Minister Roach. “This kind of recruitment mission helps meet the needs of our Island companies while bringing skilled new Islanders into our communities.”

The Irish recruitment mission was led by Immigration Services of the Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning in order to fill positions that have gone unfilled in local advertising. Dubbed Canada’s East Coast Job Fair, the mission brought together Immigration departments and companies from the four Atlantic Provinces. The target of the mission was to access both specialized skills that do not exist on the Island and professions where current supply in the province could not meet the demand.

One of the four companies who attended the mission, Bulk Carriers (P.E.I.) Limited, has been recruiting truck drivers from overseas sources for over seven years due to a shortage of long haul truck drivers here. “The recruitment of qualified long haul truck drivers from markets outside of North America has allowed our company to expand. Without this ability, our company could not have grown to where it is today,” said Jack Kelly, President and CEO of Bulk Carriers (P.E.I.) Limited.

Along with the companies who attended in person, another six companies who expressed difficulty in finding local candidates sent information about 28 positions. These positions were promoted by representatives of Immigration Services and a local human resources recruiting firm, Island Recruiting. In total, 67 positions were available from the 10 companies represented. Upon return from Ireland, companies have begun the extensive process of following up on the leads and conducting interviews.

Five job offers have already been made with another seven pending interview. Based on current company feedback, up to 29 positions should be filled by late January.

Immigration Services was accompanied for the first time by the Physician Recruitment Coordinator from the Health Recruitment and Retention Secretariat. The partnership between the Departments of Health and Wellness and Innovation and Advanced Learning will serve to help streamline the immigration process for potential physician candidates.

“It is often difficult to recruit specialists within Canada and, like many other jurisdictions across the country, we continue to have family physician vacancies in our rural communities, which present challenges from a recruitment perspective,” said Doug Currie, Minister of Health and Wellness. “This mission provided an opportunity for our recruitment staff to meet with physicians who are highly skilled and trained and have practised within a culture very similar to that of Canada. We are pleased to say that from this mission there are potentially three very skilled physicians who have demonstrated an interest in pursuing Prince Edward Island as a place to practice.”

Companies wishing to participate in future missions are welcome to contact either Gaylene MacKenzie, International Recruitment Officer at 368-6734 or email gemackenzie@gov.pe.ca or Ian Lane, Acting Manager, Attraction and Retention at 368-5368 or e-mail iglane@gov.pe.ca.