The province of British Columbia last week sealed labour deal with the Philippines government to provide hiring priorities to Filipino worker as a solution to address labour shortages derailing economic progress in the province.

B.C. Minister of Economic Development Colin Hansen signed a two-year memorandum of understanding with Philippine Labour Secretary Arturo Brion that will give it priority against other jurisdictions in Canada and the world in the bid to attract Filipino workers. 

Under the agreement, a joint RP-Canada labor committee will be established to lay-out specific guidelines for training, certifying and assessing both Filipino workers and employers in B.C.

“The joint RP-Canada labor committee will convene as soon as possible and should have the guidelines ready within three months,” says Brion told the Asian Pacific Post.

To speed up the process, Brion added that the Philippines will put up a special labor office headed by new labor attaché in Vancouver to “serve as a bridge” between Canadian employers and skilled Filipino workers.

The burgeoning labor shortage remains on rise with the on-going massive infrastructure projects around the province as preparations for the 2010 Olympics goes full blast.

The Philippines is one of the biggest exporters of skilled and unskilled labor in the world.

The country deployed more than 1 million OFWs to 160 host destinations last year, most of them in medical and health, information and technology, and services sectors.

 “About 8 million Filipinos or 10 percent of the 80 million populations are Overseas Filipino Workers,” Brion told members of various Filipino community groups based in Vancouver in a dinner meeting presented by the Philippine Canada Trade Council. 

 The B.C. government announced that the province needs to 30,000 workers per year but “there is no exact target number, in particular, for workers from the Philippines ,” Hansen told the media.

 The specific skills needed would be focused on B.C. companies engaged in hotel and restaurant operations and construction related industries. “We are confident that this agreement will significantly increase the number of Filipino workers in B.C.,” says Hansen shortly after signing the agreement.

Jose Brillantes, the Philippines ambassador in Ottawa said his officers at the Vancouver Canadian consulates are preparing for the expected influx of Filipino workers this year.
 Brillantes told the Asian Pacific Post in an earlier interview that Philippine consulate offices in
Canada would be conducting “verification process” exercises to ensure that Filipino workers don’t fall victim to bogus job offers.

 “Although such illegal activities are so far not prevalent in Canada , we have to be vigilant to prevent such occurrences,” said Brillantes.

 “The process is also design to prevent Filipino professionals ending up in jobs far below their educational qualifications, skills and experience.”

 Brillantes said thousands of skilled Filipino workers are ready to take advantage of the job opportunities for the 2010 Winter Olympics which will be held in Vancouver, Whistler and nearby cities around Metro Vancouver.

 British Columbia is now experiencing record employment levels of 63.9 per cent and the shortage of skilled labor is hindering its growth.

 Several construction projects like the famous Cloverdale Trades and Technology Centre at Kwantlen University has had its opening delayed due to a shortage of trades’ people.