From time to time we still get questions about this issue and wanted to provide some clarity.
Providing and preserving local employment is an important element in fostering a strong and healthy local economy – something Coast Capital remains dedicated to as part of our commitment to our members and the communities we serve.
It would only be in extraordinary circumstances where Coast Capital is unable to recruit qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents for a job that we would turn to recruiting the help of temporary foreign workers. Coast Capital has participated in the Higher-skilled Occupations stream (and the formerly the IT Workers Visa) of the federal government’s Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program over the years to hire 8 professional individuals with very specialized skill sets - knowledge Coast Capital could not find readily in Canada following an exhaustive search, and knowledge it did not have in-house in order to train a Canadian to do the temporary assignments. Today, we currently employ just one individual, who was recruited for their expertise under the Higher-skilled Occupation category.
Coast Capital’s hiring is done in full compliance with Canadian law and within the intent of the TFW program. As required by the TFW program under the Higher-skilled Occupations stream, these professionals received comparable salaries to that of a Canadian employee with the same education, knowledge and skills, and performing the same type of work.
Coast Capital stands by its commitment to provide and preserve local employment, and at no time were any Coast Capital staff displaced in the hiring of a temporary foreign worker. When we have utilized the Higher-skills Occupation stream of the TFW program, it was for the intent it was developed – to bring new skills and knowledge to Canada to share with local citizens and in turn help the country's economy grow. In fact, many of Coast Capital’s employees gained greater knowledge and skills as a result of having the opportunity to work with these experts.
Coast Capital Savings is one of the largest employers of residents in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Our 1,600 employees are also are members & owners, each living in the communities they serve whether that is Chilliwack, Nanaimo, Surrey, Victoria or a community in between. Two of our core values as an organization – we live to make our communities stronger; and we make spirited teamwork happen – depend on it being an employer that hires individuals locally who understand the needs of its members and the community.
We urge anyone with remaining concerns to contact us directly.
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