2007 National Vital Signs Report

Comments - Zabeen Hirji

In today's dynamic world, a company's competitive advantage is driven largely by its ability to tap into people's strengths, to be innovative and to adapt to changing environments. There's no doubt that Canada needs the full contributions of immigrants in order to remain competitive in a global market. This report tells a compelling story that requires an urgent response. By 2011, 100 per cent of Canada's net labour market growth will be from immigration. And while Canada already has higher participation rates and lower unemployment rates for immigrants than many other countries, our future economic growth and competitiveness will depend on how quickly and effectively we can integrate immigrants into our workplaces and our communities.

Companies of all sizes can make a difference. Enlightened companies consider an employee's work experience first, before they look at where the employee got that experience. At RBC, we understand the importance of building a diverse and talented workforce to generate new ideas and new sources of business. We look at international experience as an asset and we try to consider how we can leverage it for competitive advantage, to better serve increasingly diverse clients, to generate new ideas, to develop knowledge about global markets. Effective immigration, integration and inclusion policies, plus employment practices focused on diverse talent, will be critical in confronting labour shortages and sustaining economic growth. The stakes are higher than ever before.

Zabeen Hirji, Chief Human Resources Officer, RBC.