June Ranson
CEO, Woburn International
Past Chair of NZAMI
At a recent conference I attended in the USA the subject arose about Refugees.
What is the talent pool amongst refugees?
We in NZ do not appear to consider the benefit from Refugee people, we are only looking at them from a humanitarian point of view and not the additional aspect of a major resource for talent.
There is a global talent shortage with nearly 4 in 5 employers globally reporting difficulty in finding the skilled talent they needed in 2023. Whilst most professions have been experiencing this the areas that have stood out include: Financial Services, Professional and Business services, Health, Leisure and hospitality industries.
In 2022 there were 35.3 million refugees worldwide. A Canadian organisation known as TBB (Talent Beyond Boundaries) works in collaboration with a national refugee-led organisation that serves refugees as they secure meaningful economic mobility. TBB is a trusted partner under the Government of Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathway Pilot.
From within the Refugee pool 87% of candidates possess English language skills and 44% have completed a post-secondary degree. From the screenshot taken below from Talent Beyond Boundaries, it shows the background profiles on the various refugees.
The criteria for the refugee being part of this programme requires that they be a displaced person outside of their home country and meet Canada’s eligibility requirements for work visas in the first instance.
Currently we are aware that a number of refugees that come into NZ through the humanitarian pathway have not integrated into NZ society and re-established their working lives therefore having a disconnect rather than sharing their knowledge and skills within NZ society.
Who is June Ranson?
June Ranson, the CEO of Woburn International, brings unique insights to New Zealand immigration policy discussions and visa changes that take place. Having operated in the immigration sector since 1991, and served as the Chair of the New Zealand Immigration Association from 2014 to 2022, June is known for supporting NZ businesses that rely on skilled immigrants and for advocating on behalf of those looking to relocate. Read more about June here.
You may not know but we have been assisting people from all around the World relocate to New Zealand for many many years … and we are very good at it. Contact our office at +64 4 569 4861, or email services@woburn.co.nz.
