Institutional Innovation for Better Skilled Immigrant Labour Market Integration: A Study of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Abstract

In this thesis, I undertake a study of skilled immigrant labour market integration in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by examining the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). TRIEC is a relatively new governance institution in the Toronto city-region established to address barriers preventing immigrants from gaining meaningful employment in their fields. Barriers include systemic discrimination, lack of credential recognition, and lack of Canadian work experience. TRIEC was created in response to a recommendation from the 2003 Toronto City Summit Alliance (TSCA) report Enough Talk. TRIEC is a multi-stakeholder organization that aims to engage employers to find solutions to address labour market barriers facing skilled immigrants in the GTA. This thesis examines some of these labour market barriers and the work of TRIEC and poses the following research questions: - What are the factors both impeding and facilitating the labour market integration of skilled immigrants in the GTA? - Has the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council model proven effective in terms of its impact on skilled immigrant labour market integration in the GTA? - What are possible solutions for addressing the challenges that impede the labour market integration of skilled immigrants in the GTA? To answer these questions, this thesis draws on insights from immigration geography literature, statistical and policy data, as well as fifty-seven (57) semi-structured interviews with a variety of key stakeholders in the GTA. The results point to TRIEC as a potential model to emulate for other large city-regions facing challenges with respect to labour market integration. In addition to highlighting TRIEC’s advantages, this thesis also provides recommendations at a more general societal level for improving skilled immigrant labour market integration in Canadian city-regions.