Author: TalentLift

Newfoundland and Labrador builds hiring pipeline to displaced healthcare talent in Ethiopia

November 6, 2023

A provincial health service is extending opportunities to talented candidates living in refugee circumstances as part of the solution to a critical shortage of healthcare skills in Canada. 

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services partnered with TalentLift to find talented healthcare professionals who are living as refugees in Ethiopia, in a pioneering initiative alongside our partners at the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). 

Under this initiative, we partnered to convene a 3-day virtual recruitment event in October, powered by our in-house hiring platform. We are thrilled to share these early results: 

  • 49 candidates moving forward
  • 70+ interviews with talented healthcare professionals 
  • Interviews held in 5 refugee camps – Jijiga, Assosa, Gambella, Melkadida, and Semera – as well as in the capital city Addis Ababa
  • The start of a talent pipeline between the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and displaced healthcare professionals in Ethiopia, making it possible for many more employment opportunities to follow

NL Health Services is among a growing group of leading employers globally who are recognizing the immense talent within refugee populations, and providing people with a chance to put their skills to use and reach their full potential in a safe new home. 

NL Health Services is also showcasing a new form of win-win global recruitment in healthcare by recruiting from within a population that has only insecure and temporary status in their host country. A job opportunity in Canada – while filling critical healthcare roles – provides a pathway to continued careers and secure futures.

“NL Health Services continues to actively recruit talented health-care workers here at home, and abroad in an effort to meet all the needs of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Debbie Molloy, Vice President Human Resources, NL Health Services. “NL Health Services is a great place to work and an ideal place where health-care professionals from anywhere in the world can grow their careers. As such, we encourage communities throughout the province to continue to provide a warm welcome to the health-care professionals joining us from around the world so that health-care workers can have the best possible experience living and working in our province. Our hope is that Newfoundland and Labrador may become their permanent new home.”

There are thousands of healthcare professionals who are living in refugee circumstances globally who are talented, resilient and keen to contribute their skills in a safe new home. TalentLift is grateful to employers like NL Health Services that are recognizing their skills and extending opportunities to talent living anywhere. 

Read more about this pioneering initiative in an NL Health Services press release. 

Listen to our Dana Wagner and Debbie Molloy of NL Health Services speak about this initiative with CBC On the Go. 

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. Employers seeking global talent while engaging their team in something transformative can start hiring.

Ways to support civilians affected by conflict in Israel and Palestine

October 17, 2023

We are united with people worldwide who are horrified by the death and injury inflicted on Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Too many families are grieving and forever changed. Too many families face a deepening humanitarian emergency.

In the last week, thousands have been killed and an estimated 1 million Palestinians have been displaced. As the conflict continues, the need for humanitarian support has become urgent.

If you have the resources to donate to humanitarian aid efforts, here are a few options to consider: 

Please research the organization and campaign that seems right to you before giving.

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. Employers seeking global talent while engaging their team in something transformative can start hiring.

Administrative Assistant

October 16, 2023

Join our team! TalentLift is a mission-driven, collaborative, and high-impact start-up expanding the job and skilled visa opportunities available to talented candidates living in refugee circumstances globally. We are hiring a full-time Administrative Assistant who will have the opportunity to make a clear impact on individual and systemic levels and to create the scaleable and human-centred processes that power our work. 

The team

TalentLift is a non-profit talent agency. We support Canadian employers to recruit and relocate talent from within refugee and displaced populations to fill skills shortages, enabling candidates along with their families to lift to their potential as they advance their careers, secure their futures, and leave displacement behind.

There are more than 27 million people living as refugees worldwide with few options to achieve livelihoods and security. Many thousands have the skills and potential to qualify for jobs and skilled visas in Canada, just like talented people anywhere, but they’ve been historically excluded from recruitment and visa systems. This is changing as TalentLift and our partners drive more equitable access to these transformative opportunities.   

TalentLift is the first organization of our kind to offer employers and the displaced candidates they hire in-house services encompassing talent search, visa application, and settlement coordination. We believe that access to opportunities should depend on potential and not the privilege of living without fear. 

The role

Our Administrative Assistant will be responsible for:

  • Providing administrative support to TalentLift’s legal team on both temporary and permanent residence immigration applications including the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP)
  • Managing various legal services duties including:
    • Maintaining case management databases and software
    • Requesting and reviewing information and documentation from candidates
    • Completing forms and portals required for immigration applications and following up with candidates to obtain outstanding information
    • Drafting submission letters, working from precedents when appropriate
  • Ensuring that deadlines are recorded, scheduled and met
  • Performing other general administrative duties as required

Must have: 

  • Minimum 3 years of previous experience in a similar role
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to work well under pressure
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high attention to detail
  • Excellent communication skills in a cross-cultural environment
  • Empathy
  • Reliability
  • Adaptability and willingness to continuously learn

Nice to have:

  • Knowledge of Canadian immigration practices and procedures
  • Work experience or volunteerism in cross-cultural contexts
  • Experience supporting people living in refugee and displaced situations
  • Experience with project management and database software
  • Ability to communicate fluently in multiple languages

What we offer:

  • Full-time and contract positions available for $20/hour
  • Flexible hours and work from home in Canada
  • A supportive team – ask us more!

TalentLift is committed to equitable hiring. All candidates are welcome to apply and we warmly invite those who have lived experience in refugee or displacement circumstances, Indigenous backgrounds, and different abilities. 

The deadline to apply for this role is October 30, 2023. To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter/email to: careers@talentlift.ca 

Ways to support people affected by earthquakes in Afghanistan

October 10, 2023

Several earthquakes hit northwestern Afghanistan on Saturday. More than 3,000 people have lost their lives and emergency rescue efforts continue.

The earthquakes and several aftershocks happened in mainly rural areas around the city of Herat, with the heaviest impacts in many villages that are difficult to reach.

Rescue efforts are further complicated by unstable relations between the Taliban government in Afghanistan and much of the international community. Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, there have been significant cuts in aid funds and a deterioration in healthcare services. There is limited equipment and expertise needed for rescue and recovery.

Many of the candidates we support, our team members and our partners have loved ones in Afghanistan. We’re thinking of them and all the people in Afghanistan affected by the disaster.

If you have the resources to donate to rescue and recovery efforts, here are a few options to consider: 

  • Islamic Relief Canada is operating in Herat providing health assistance and assessing other urgent needs. 
  • Farhad Darya (an Afghan singer, composer, music producer, and philanthropist) alongside Aryana Sayeed (an Afghan pop singer and songwriter) organized a GoFundMe campaign with donations channelled to 8AM Media, a non-profit arm of Hasht-e Subh Daily Newspaper, which will work in collaboration with other non-profits to disburse funds locally in and around Herat.
  • The World Food Programme has already prepared food parcels for 20,000 people and is preparing to reach up to 70,000 earthquake-affected people with food or cash.
  • The International Rescue Committee is coordinating with NGOs to provide immediate aid and medical care.

Please research the organization and campaign that seems right to you before giving.

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. Employers seeking global talent while engaging their team in something transformative can start hiring.

Ways to support people affected by flooding in Libya

September 13, 2023

Severe flooding in Libya has caused an emergency in the northeastern city of Derna. More than 6,000 people have lost their lives and many thousands are still missing. 

Downpour and broken dams are among the main reported causes, and the weather event is considered worsened by climate change.

The disaster happens as the people of Libya and those living as refugees in the country face ongoing conflict and economic insecurity. For years, people in refugee situations from different parts of the world have crossed into Libya and sometimes onwards to sea on dangerous journeys to reach a more secure country. We’re thinking of them and everyone in Libya impacted by the disaster.

If you have the resources to donate, here are a few options to consider: 

  • The Canadian Red Cross is raising funds for immediate disaster relief and recovery. 
  • Islamic Relief Canada is raising funds to provide urgent food supplies, emergency shelter and basic essentials.
  • The World Food Programme is providing emergency meals and support to children and families affected by the floods, and is on the ground. 
  • Unicef is mobilizing life-saving supplies such as medical, hygiene, and essential clothing kits for children.

Please research the organization and campaign that seems right to you before giving.

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. Employers seeking global talent while engaging their team in something transformative can start hiring.

Ways to support people affected by the earthquake in Morocco

September 12, 2023

On Friday, an earthquake hit Morocco in the Atlas Mountains, about 70 kilometres outside the city of Marrakech. More than 2,600 people have lost their lives. It is the deadliest earthquake recorded in Morocco in over 60 years.

Morocco is home to people seeking refugee from many parts of the world. We’re thinking of them and all communities impacted by the disaster. 

If you have the resources to donate, here are a few options to consider: 

  • The Canadian Red Cross is raising funds for immediate disaster relief and recovery. 
  • Doctors Without Borders provides emergency medical aid and has medical staff in the affected region.
  • Action for Humanity  has mobilized a specialized emergency response team to provide immediate aid in affected areas, along with ready-to-eat food packs, hygiene kits, hot meals and blankets.
  • Islamic Relief Canada teams are working through local partners to conduct immediate needs assessments and provide urgent food supplies, emergency shelter and basic essentials in Morocco.

Please research the organization and campaign that seems right to you before giving.

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. Employers seeking global talent while engaging their team in something transformative can start hiring.

CERC policy brief: What Canada gets right (and wrong) in economic pathways for displaced talent

July 5, 2023

The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) is positioned to grow into one of Canada’s main responses to displacement with a set of changes announced in June. There’s a lot that Canada gets right in its approach to opening economic pathways to displaced talent under the pilot, but many things it can improve.

These areas are outlined in a new policy brief published by the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Migration and Integration, written by our Dana Wagner. 

At this turning point: Are we headed in the right direction? What displacement-related barriers remain? How do Canadian employers and displaced job seekers want this pathway to grow? The policy brief outlines the main changes to the pilot and recommends next steps for equity-based growth.

Here is a summary of recommendations: 

EMPP Federal Skills Job Offer Stream

  1. Require employers to be in good standing and offer the prevailing (median) wage, as basic safeguards for workers.
  2. Reduce the language requirements for jobs at all skill levels.

Broader economic stream (permanent and temporary pathways)

  1. Mainstream access across the economic stream, including permanent and temporary pathways, and improve processing times. 
  2. Accept alternatives for proof of language, such as an attestation from employers, and for proof of education, such as the World Education Services Gateway Program assessments.
  3. Invest in equitable access within talent pools, with a focus on improving access by women, those living in refugee camps or other remote areas, and those who are LGBTQ.
  4. Invest in a cluster approach to largescale recruitment and arrival support that promotes hiring 10+ candidates and effective settlement for them and their families.
  5. Adapt programming language to focus on talent and people rather than refugee situations.

Read more and see all policy briefs published by the CERC. 

 Join a community of pioneering hiring teams across Canada. Start hiring with TalentLift.

With the support of the Scotiabank ScotiaRISE initiative, TalentLift has built a talent platform for displaced job seekers to self-register, develop job-readiness, and connect to transformative job and relocation opportunities to Canada. Learn more.

Sales Lead

May 29, 2023

Join our team! TalentLift is a mission-driven, collaborative, and high-impact start-up expanding the job and skilled visa opportunities available to talented candidates living in refugee circumstances globally. We are hiring a full-time Sales Lead who will have the opportunity to make a clear impact on individual and systemic levels and to create the scaleable and human-centred processes that power our work. 

The team

TalentLift is a non-profit talent agency. We support Canadian employers to recruit and relocate talent from within refugee populations to fill skills shortages, enabling candidates along with their families to lift to their potential as they advance their careers, secure their futures, and leave displacement behind.

There are more than 27 million people living as refugees worldwide with few options to achieve livelihoods and security. Many thousands have the skills and potential to qualify for jobs and skilled visas in Canada, just like talented people anywhere, but they’ve been historically excluded from recruitment and visa systems. This is changing as TalentLift and our partners drive more equitable access to these transformative opportunities.   

TalentLift offers employers and the displaced candidates they hire in-house services encompassing talent search, visa application, and settlement coordination. We believe that access to opportunities should depend on potential and not the privilege of living without fear. 

The role

Our Sales Lead will report to the Managing Director and be responsible for:

  • Independently identifying potential customers and generating new opportunities for employer partnerships with TalentLift using cold calls, emails and other marketing channels
  • Contacting and qualifying potential employer partners 
  • Setting appointments with Recruitment Leads and nurturing partnership leads 
  • Tracking progress towards meeting sales goals 
  • Collaborating with the Recruitment and Technology teams to develop strategies for reaching engagement targets with potential employer partners 
  • Reporting on lead generation activities and results to management
  • Implementing effective communication strategies for various platforms to drive awareness and engagement
  • Developing content for TalentLift’s communication channels
  • Exploring and recommending customer relationship management (CRM) software to manage leads and sales activities
  • Attending in person and virtual networking events to build relationships and generate leads 
  • Supporting the organization through other development and communications activities as needed

Must have: 

  • Minimum 1 years of work experience in sales
  • Post-secondary diploma or equivalent work experience
  • Excellent people skills  
  • Excellent written communication skills
  • Knowledge of the sales process, negotiation, and strategy
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills
  • Empathy, reliability, adaptability and willingness to continuously learn

Nice to have:

  • Work experience or volunteerism in cross-cultural contexts
  • Experience supporting people living in refugee and displaced situations
  • Experience with producing high-quality and impactful content for various communication channels (i.e., blog, online magazine, marketing collateral, website, and social media)
  • Developing and promoting branding initiatives outside of sales
  • Knowledge of how to optimize content for search engines for lead generation 

What we offer

  • Salary of $70,000-$72,000 depending on experience
  • Dental and extended healthcare benefits
  • 4 weeks vacation
  • Flexible hours and work from home in Canada
  • Equipment provided
  • A supportive team – ask us more!

TalentLift is committed to equitable hiring. All candidates are welcome to apply and we warmly invite those who have lived experience in refugee or displacement circumstances, Indigenous backgrounds, and different abilities.

To apply, please send your CV and a message using this application form.

Ways to support people affected by earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria

February 7, 2023

A major earthquake hit Türkiye close to the border with Syria during the morning of February 6 and severely impacted cities across both countries. Thousands of people have died and this terrible toll is likely to rise as recovery efforts continue. 

Some of the larger cities impacted are Diyarbakir, Gaziantep and Iskenderun in Türkiye, and Aleppo and Hama in Syria.

Members of our talent community and TalentLift team have loved ones in these areas experiencing loss or damage. We know many of our wider community do too. Our thoughts are with you. 

For anyone in a position to give, these are a few good options to receive your help: 

  • Molham is providing emergency aid in Syria and to displaced Syrians in Türkiye.
  • International Medical Corps is providing medical and mental health services and emergency supplies in Türkiye and Syria. 
  • Islamic Relief Canada is providing cash assistance, food, shelter, and other emergency supplies in Türkiye and Syria.
  • The White Helmets is searching for survivors in Syria. 

Please research the organization and campaign that seems right to you before giving. 

Candidates living in refugee circumstances and seeking a job in Canada can join TalentLift. Employers seeking global talent while engaging their team in something transformative can start hiring.

Recruitment Lead

November 16, 2022

Join our team! TalentLift is a mission-driven, collaborative, and high-impact start-up expanding the job and skilled visa opportunities available to talented candidates living in refugee circumstances globally. We are hiring a full-time Recruitment Lead who will have the opportunity to make a clear impact on individual and systemic levels and to create the scaleable and human-centred processes that power our work. 

The team

TalentLift is a non-profit talent agency. We support Canadian employers to recruit and relocate talent from within refugee populations to fill skills shortages, enabling candidates along with their families to lift to their potential as they advance their careers, secure their futures, and leave displacement behind.

There are more than 27 million people living as refugees worldwide with few options to achieve livelihoods and security. Many thousands have the skills and potential to qualify for jobs and skilled visas in Canada, just like talented people anywhere, but they’ve been historically excluded from recruitment and visa systems. This is changing as TalentLift and our partners drive more equitable access to these transformative opportunities.   

TalentLift offers employers and the displaced candidates they hire in-house services encompassing talent search, visa application, and settlement coordination. We believe that access to opportunities should depend on potential and not the privilege of living without fear. 

The role

Our Recruitment Lead will report to the Managing Director and be responsible for:

  • Outreach and engagement with employers across Canada to recruit from within the refugee talent pool supported by TalentLift
  • Management of a seamless and supportive recruitment experience for employers partnering with TalentLift
  • Championing our talent pool and raising awareness about the skills and potential within displaced populations worldwide
  • Supporting business development and organizational growth 

Must have: 

  • Minimum 3 years of previous experience in a sales or client-facing role
  • Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high attention to detail
  • Excellent relationship-building skills 
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Empathy
  • Reliability
  • Adaptability and willingness to continuously learn

Nice to have:

  • Post-secondary training in marketing, sales, human resources, business administration, or other related discipline is an asset
  • Experience and knowledge of business-to-business (B2B) sales
  • Experience with international recruitment or human resources processes
  • Experience supporting people living in refugee and displaced situations
  • Experience with project management and database software

What we offer

  • Salary of $72,000
  • Dental and extended healthcare benefits
  • 4 weeks vacation
  • Flexible hours and work from home in Canada
  • Equipment provided
  • A supportive team – ask us more!

TalentLift is committed to equitable hiring. All candidates are welcome to apply and we warmly invite those who have lived experience in refugee or displacement circumstances, Indigenous backgrounds, and different abilities. 

The deadline to apply for this role is November 30, 2022. To apply, please send your CV and a message using this application form.