b"IMMIGRATION PATHWAYS TO IMMIGRATIONBy Matthew BradfordGovernment and business need to work together to develop more immigration pathways for short-term workC anadian employers have longspeed up those processes and open bordersfor years. Thanks to recent pandemic chal-relied on foreign talent to fillin a way that really responds to economieslenges, rising retirement rates, and growing gaps within their workforce.and the needs of the employers. international competition, the demand for They have also relied on theThe IOE is among those championingeffective talent acquisition channels is only ability to do so quickly andthese pathways to talent. The group wasgetting stronger.effectively in order to move at the speedamong the panelists at a recent CERC of business. That's why now, more thanroundtable that discussed ways in whichWe've interviewed business leaders ever, building more effective immigration private and public leaders can facilitatefrom all over the world, from Canada to pathways to foreign workers is a them. Right now, it's important thatEurope, Asia and beyond. All of them growing priority.we're all talking to the government andtalked about the skills shortages that they When employers apply for a visa, theygiving them our perspective on why it'sare facing and all of them expressed a need those skilled workers now, and not inimportant for employers to have easyneed for migration pathways to respond to three-months-time, says Stphanie Winet,and accessible immigration pathwaysvarious talent challenges, says Winet.head of stakeholder engagement with thethat respond to their needs as they arise,Important to note is that those challenges International Organisation of EmployersWinet says.are not limited to developed nations (IOE). That's why we need to bringThe push for speedier and more efficientalone. Winet stresses that the same government and businesses together toimmigration has been a topic of discussiontalent mobility levers are being sought 18PERSPECTIVES Fall 2021"