Canadian Immigration News

Canadian Employers Offer Higher Pay to Attract and Retain Skilled Workers

2.5 minute read
"Are you planning on working in Canada? There really couldn’t be a better time to be employed in Canada. Employers across Canada are planning to bump up salaries so foreign workers can expect high wages."
Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on:  Oct 22, 2021
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Are you planning on working in Canada? There really couldn’t be a better time to be employed in Canada. Employers across Canada are planning to bump up salaries so foreign workers can expect high wages. 

Why Are Employers Raising Wages and Salaries?

The pandemic has caused employers to consider several factors when making decisions about their workforce and salaries in 2022. The pandemic has caused ‘the great resignation’ forcing employers to adjust their pay levels to the highest levels in the last 5 years. Employers across Canada are planning to boost salaries with the biggest annual increase in years. 

Only 3.3% of organizations in Canada are projected to freeze salaries in 2022 which means that businesses recognize the need to offer higher wages and rebrand their rewards value proposition to attract and retain talented workers. 

What Are the Wages and Salaries in 2021?

In 2021, 12% of Canadian employers froze wages in a bid to stay operational during the pandemic. In 2020, almost 36% of employers froze wages. As the Canadian economy recovers from the pandemic and the labor shortages continue, many employers are left with no option but to increase the wages of their existing and new employees. Canada has a thriving job market, therefore, workers are looking for both purposeful work and higher compensation. 

What Are the Expected Increased Wages and Salaries in 2022?

The average planned wage hike for 2022 is at 2.7%, excluding the companies that are not planning to offer any hikes. The highest projected wage increase in 2022 is expected to be in the wholesale trade sector, with a planned wage increase of 3.1%.

Wages in construction, hospitality, and the Information Technology sector are also expected to be increased by 3%. Professions in healthcare and social assistance, teaching, new media, and arts and culture organizations will also experience a wage increase of 2% in 2022. However, offering higher wages will certainly not solve the issue of labor shortages in Canada. Employers are looking to attract and retain skilled workers qualified to perform the specific job duties for their businesses.

How Can Foreign Skilled Workers Immigrate to Canada?

Skilled workers can get an expedited temporary work permit to work in Canada through the Global Talent Stream (GTS) of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Through this, foreign workers can get an Open Work Permit within 2 weeks. 

If you are planning to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker, it is always easier to apply for the Express Entry system. The Express Entry system manages applications for the 3 federal economic immigration programs:

Other than that, skilled workers can apply for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) if they plan on settling down in one of the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, namely, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

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