Immigration Firm Focuses on Filling Skilled Trades Jobs

Paul Shelley, founder of Work Global Canada Inc., is preparing for what he believes is the next surge of immigration, which will bring much-needed skilled tradespeople to Newfoundland. As local industries face shortages, Shelley expects the province to see an influx of workers.

Shelley, a former MHA, established Work Global Canada Inc. in 2010 with VP Wanda Cuff Young. He noted that an immigration plan he helped shape for the province in 2007 predicted this need. He explained that the first wave of workers arrived around 2018 and 2019, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Brian Ramjattan, who manages multiple enterprises through Miranda Management Inc., also serves as a director at Work Global.

“It really started hitting around 2018 and 2019, especially during COVID,” Shelley stated. Shelley, who held several roles in Danny Williams’s administration, spoke during a human resources and community development panel at the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association’s annual conference in St. John’s.

To date, Work Global Canada has connected over 2,500 individuals and families with jobs, partnering with 450 employers. The company maintains a database of 10,000 newcomers interested in relocating to Newfoundland and Labrador. With its headquarters in St. John’s, the firm has offices in New Brunswick and the Philippines and is set to open a new location in Uzbekistan, aiming to attract more skilled tradespeople to the province.

“In Uzbekistan, they offer free tuition for skilled trades, and while English is taught as a second language, the real challenge will be managing the increasing demand for these workers in the near future,” Shelley explained.

Work Global has also played a key role in providing recruitment and immigration services to seafood processors, bringing in large groups of foreign workers over the years.

During the same panel, Steve Carew, Mayor of Hermitage-Sandyville, shared that foreign workers are essential to his town’s operation. Located in the Coast of Bays region, Carew’s community has become an aquaculture hub. However, he emphasized that the influx of workers must be balanced with housing availability.

“We simply don’t have enough housing for everyone,” Carew said. “We’re hoping private developers will step in to provide more affordable living options.”

Premier Andrew Furey, stepping in for Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne, who was in Ottawa, addressed the audience at the start of Day 2. Furey highlighted the aquaculture sector’s role as a key economic driver, particularly in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, providing critical employment opportunities.

“Aquaculture and fishing are in our province’s DNA,” Furey remarked. “We are proud to work alongside those committed to sustainable industry practices. Together, we’re exporting to 40 countries with an industry value nearing $1 billion annually.”

He added that the sector supports over 16,000 workers in 400 communities across the province, with aquaculture alone employing over 500 people and contributing $230 million each year.

Source: Bonnie Belec, allNewfoundlandLabrador, October 10, 2024