The unemployment rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region (SBPER) has remained consistently low since 2017, except for a spike in 2020 due to the impacts of COVID-19. Combined with an aging workforce, the region is facing a persistent labour shortage that is expected to worsen without timely intervention.

Newcomers represent a critical potential source of labour to help replenish the local workforce, yet they often face multiple barriers that affect their ability to obtain and sustain employment. At the same time, recent changes to temporary resident policies have reduced employers’ ability to hire temporary foreign workers (TFWs) and international students. Closing Workforce Gaps – Leveraging Newcomer Talents examines current opportunities and key barriers experienced by both newcomers and local employers. Using a Workforce Supply–Demand Alignment Framework, the report demonstrates how these barriers contribute to misalignment between labour supply and demand, undermining workforce stability, and presents recommendations to address these challenges.

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