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Overview
In May 2007, RDI embarked on a new research project
that emerged from their on-going work on rural immigration. In
particular, this new project focuses on the relatively recent phenomenon
of the arrival of hundreds of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to the
city of Brandon and surrounding area. At the core of the project
is a demographic projection study that will provide pertinent data to
community and government stakeholders regarding expected demographic
changes in the coming years. However, qualitative assessments of
the TFW process, the nature and characteristics of the TFW population in
Brandon, and the implications of such a phenomenon are needed to more
accurately inform such analyses.
In the city of Brandon and surrounding area, various labour market
factors such as labour shortages in low to high skilled jobs and
expanding operations at industries such as Maple Leaf Foods are
resulting in the need to adjust recruiting and hiring practices to
extend employee searches beyond the provincial labour pool to overseas
countries. Regulated by the federal government, the Low-Skilled
Temporary Foreign Worker program offers an expedited process for
recruiting and hiring foreign workers with lower skill levels and on a
temporary basis. Of particular interest to this research project
is the fact that in Manitoba TFWs can eventually apply to the Provincial
Nominee Program, thus contributing to the province’s annual
immigration targets and dramatically changing the demographics of rural
centres. Manitoba’s immigration policies and documented success
with the Provincial Nominee Program make it a unique case in which to
study immigration.
The following is a list of RDI’s research areas and interests:
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Conduct a community scan of
Brandon and area to understand the scope and impact of TFWs.
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Gain a general understanding of
the perspectives and experiences of TFWs.
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Understand family reunification
processes and experiences.
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Examine what it takes to be a
“welcoming community” for newcomers.
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Consider TFWs in a regional
context as a potential mechanism for rural community development and
diversification.
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Provide an exploration of TFWs’
use of the Provincial Nominee Program and clarify the process by
which they become provincial nominees. This will further
develop the notion that in some contexts TFWs can be referred to as
transitional foreign workers.
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Understand long-term retention
rates of TFWs in Brandon and area.
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Clarify and elaborate on the
expectations, roles, and responsibilities of key stakeholders
including government, community, and employers.
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Provide population projections and
analysis to assist government and communities with future planning.
Temporary Foreign Worker Dialogue
Group
The Dialogue Group was established in September 2007. The need
for such a group resulted from discussions with government, community,
and industry representatives about communication challenges, information
gaps, and the need for collaboration amongst all actors involved in the
TFW program and process. The goal for each meeting is to create a forum
that encourages dynamic discussion responding to the need for clarity
and direction. To date, four meetings have been held focusing on
such topics as expectations, roles, and perspectives of key stakeholders
involved in the temporary foreign worker process and issues of
settlement. Partnering with industry has proven to be effective
with new, up-to-date information on hiring practices, recruitment
efforts, orientation packages, and settlement strategies communicated to
involved actors. The value of increased communication and information
sharing has greatly benefited all involved in the Dialogue group. To
date, participation has included representatives from Manitoba Labour
and Immigration, Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Initiatives,
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Service Canada, Rural Secretariat,
City of Brandon, Brandon Regional Health Authority, Maple Leaf Foods,
Westman Immigrant Services, and the Brandon School Division.
Research Objectives
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Contribute to developing
collaborative, local-level research on the impacts and instances of
TFWs rural areas.
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Understand the existing and
anticipated TFW populations in Brandon and area and the impacts of
influxes of newcomers on the community.
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Bridge information, communication,
and knowledge gaps amongst policy makers, community support
providers, local governments, and researchers.
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Provide community stakeholders and
government officials with information regarding the TFW population
and businesses’ intentions for recruiting and hiring foreign
workers in the area.
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Utilize and further develop
demographic projection and analysis tools within a rural regional
context to inform forward-looking programs and policies for service
provision.
For more information contact
Dr. Robert Annis, Director
Rural Development Institute
Brandon
University
Ph: 204-571-8513 or annis@brandonu.ca.
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