Ottawa, March 9, 2011 — An internship program that gives newcomers valuable Canadian work experience has earned Citizenship and Immigration Canada an Employer Excellence Award.
“I congratulate all those involved in the Federal Internship for Newcomers program for their work, which was recently recognized by this award,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “For many immigrants a lack of Canadian work experience is a significant hurdle in finding employment. That’s why this program is so exciting. We offer eligible immigrants a chance to work in the federal government and gain valuable Canadian experience. Hopefully that can be a springboard to a successful career in their chosen fields.”
Since 2008, close to 130 skilled immigrants have been placed in federal departments in fields such as policy, research, project management, administration, translation, communication and science, based on their skills and the needs of hiring managers. To be eligible, interns must be permanent residents or Canadian citizens who have been in Canada for less than 10 years and possess a post-secondary degree.
Madut Majok, a graduate from the program in 2010, provided the following thoughts: “Through this opportunity I gained invaluable experience working with a very competent and dynamic policy group at CIC.”
“As a founding partner and a lead participating department, HRSDC is proud to be helping newcomers get Canadian work experience that maximizes their skills and talent,” said Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. “This program is an example of how we are enabling skilled immigrants to find fulfilling and rewarding work and to contribute to our country’s prosperity.”
Some 11 federal departments and agencies are now involved in the program, with 20 additional departments, agencies, and Crown corporations expressing interest for the September 2011 recruiting process. Next year, interns will be placed in jobs in the National Capital Region, as well as other regions beginning with Toronto and Vancouver, tapping into local immigrant talent in those locations. The program currently partners with World University Services Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program, and through Local Agencies Serving Immigrants (LASI) World Skills and Service intégration travail Outaouais (SITO) for referral of job ready candidates.
The award was given by the Employer Council of Champions, an organization made up of employers that have committed to enhancing the utilization of skilled immigrants in Ottawa. Members of the Council represent a wide variety of employers, ranging from small to large operations in both the private and public sectors. The Employer Excellence Awards highlights the important work of employers in improving the integration of immigrants’ talents in Ottawa’s labour market.
For more information on how to apply, interested newcomers can contact FINPInbox@cic.gc.ca. To learn more about Madut Majok’s story, and those of other FNIP graduates, www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/stories/madut.asp.
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For further information (media only), please contact:
Alykhan Velshi
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
