Canada invites foreign seafarers to work
The Minister of Transport announced an expanded program to attract workers to the marine sector.
Seafaring is fundamentally important to Canada. Between 70 and 80 percent of the goods that Canadians use daily are shipped into the country by sea. Also, given Canada's specific geography, many residents depend on ferries to get people to work and back home. In short, the country's economy and the lives of ordinary people depend a lot on maritime vessels. And that means the country needs seafarers, which are not always and everywhere in short supply.
To remedy the situation, in 2019, Canada launched the Reciprocal Arrangement Program. It allows highly qualified workers in simplified procedure to get a job in the marine sector. It means that if a foreign seafarer meets the requirements of the program, a Canadian company can sponsor him to move to the country for work. The participants of the program are Australia, Norway, France, and Ukraine. This step should help deal with the labor shortage.
On June 25, International Seafarer's Day, Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced the expansion of the Reciprocal Arrangement Program. The country has signed agreements with Georgia, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom that will allow qualified seafarers from those countries to obtain employment aboard Canadian vessels.
“Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast rely on the dedication of seafarers to get goods and ships where they need to go. On behalf of our Government, I want to thank all seafarers for their commitment. Through arrangements like this one, we are strengthening our workforce today and into the future with good-paying jobs for certified seafarers.”— Alghabra stated.
Seafarers from the countries above wishing to work in Canada can apply on the official website.
