Labour Market and Immigration Advisor (Registered Certified Immigration Consultant)

Labour Market and Immigration Advisor
(Registered Certified Immigration Consultant)

Full Time, Contract Position (37.5 hours per week) until March 31, 2028, with possibility of contract renewal

The Valley Regional Enterprise Network (Valley REN) is the regional economic development organization for the Annapolis Valley Region. The Valley REN carries out the economic development priorities for its members, which currently include Glooscap First Nation, the Municipality of the County of Kings, West Hants Regional Municipality, and the Towns of Berwick, Kentville, Wolfville, and Middleton. Our partners provide oversight to the Valley REN Board of Directors, which is led by the regional business community.

Our Mission: The Valley Regional Enterprise Network's mission is to be the catalyst for a thriving, sustainable and inclusive regional economy in the Annapolis Valley. We are the "boots on the ground," helping to link the private sector and public organizations around common objectives for regional economic progress.

Job Purpose: Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Labour Market and Immigration Advisor is a resource to support the growth of the labour market in the Annapolis Valley region through immigration programs. The Labour Market and Immigration Advisor will provide support to Annapolis Valley employers looking to address labour market challenges, as well as newcomers seeking employment in priority sectors within our region. Alignment with Provincial and regional priorities, along with collaboration with educational, private/public institutions, immigrant-serving organizations, and federal and provincial immigration partners will be required to allow for effective and meaningful programming.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

This position is primarily responsible for 5 key activities:

• Employer Outreach, Immigration Readiness, and Vacancy Identification
  • Engage employers in priority sectors to assess immigration readiness (including the delivery of webinars to employer groups in priority sectors and via one-on-one consultation)
  • Identify critical labour market vacancies
  • Confirm eligibility before any recruitment resources are committed
• Vacancy Management, Skilled Worker Sourcing, Job Matching, and Employer Service Agreements
  • For IPG-approved vacancies, the Advisor leads the full recruitment cycle - sourcing, screening, matching, and facilitating a job offer
  • The Advisor is responsible for identifying the most appropriate sourcing strategy for each vacancy (domestic or international), screening candidates against both immigration eligibility and employer requirements, matching pre-screened candidates to employers, and supporting the employer through to a job offer
  • Execute employer service agreements
• Immigration Application Support - Employment Start (Temporary Pathways and Pre-Arrival)
  • Support the candidate and employer through the immigration process, minimizing delays and complications between job offer and employment start date.
  • Ensure candidates are well-supported through relevant temporary residence and work authorization pathways, reducing the risk of delays, errors, or complications that could jeopardize the hire.
  • Provide direct representation for work permit applications and related temporary immigration processes, and conduct application reviews for candidates preparing their own submissions (noting that direct PR application representation is out of scope; PR application reviews are permitted)
• Newcomer Entrepreneur and Business Succession Support
  • Support business continuity and regional economic development by identifying sale and succession opportunities
  • Connect eligible newcomer investors and entrepreneurs with local business owners (often in partnership with Valley REN's Senior Economic Development Officer)
• Retention, Settlement Coordination and Warm Handoffs to Settlement Provider Organizations (SPOs)
  • Collaborate with SPOs to co-deliver pre-arrival webinars
  • Ensure candidates are registered with settlement services before landing, and support a smooth transition from recruitment to integration
  • Participate in collaborative programming with SPOs to reduce newcomer isolation, increase program retention, and support long-term community attachment

Administrative Duties

• Submit regular quarterly reports and board reports
• Maintain budgets where required (with support and guidance from the COO)
• Other administrative duties as assigned tied to this program

Qualifications

Education, Experience, and Knowledge

• Post-secondary level education in a relevant discipline from a recognized academic institution, such as Business Administration or Human Resources Management, or similar
• Graduate diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law or equivalent
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in immigration consulting as an RCIC
• Registration with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants in good standing is required to assume regulated responsibilities under the Immigration Refugees and Protection Act (IRPA)
• Registration as a Foreign Worker Recruiter under the Nova Scotia Labour Standards Division may be required
• Strong knowledge of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)

Skills, Abilities, and Competencies

• Strong organizational skills with an ability to handle heavy caseloads, handle multiple tasks, manage crises, meet deadlines, and excel in a fast-paced environment characterized by changing priorities
• Excellent research skills, verbal and written communication skills (English), exceptional analytical thinking, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, and the ability to communicate to a diverse audience through various mediums
• Proven ability to provide a mature, competent, and professional presence while working with government officials and current and prospective clients
• Exemplary presentation skills; must be comfortable speaking in public, including presentations to senior leaders, government officials, community leaders, diverse groups, and entrepreneurs
• Positive attitude with an ability to network effectively
• Must be a self-starter; someone who takes initiative and has the ability to work effectively and efficiently with minimal direction
• Must be tactful and able to exercise sound judgement and discretion
• Political awareness and sensitivity
• Attention to detail
• Effective computer skills; must be familiar with and proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as virtual communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Zoom

Working Environment:

Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, in an office environment (our regional office is located in Kentville, but there is an option for satellite office work across the Valley region with partners); hybrid work-from-home options may also be available at the discretion of the CEO.

Flexibility in working hours is required as some work may happen outside of regular hours.

Frequent travel throughout the region is required to fulfill the duties of this role, therefore continuous access to reliable transportation to areas within West Hants, Kings and Annapolis Counties, with the possibility of other parts of the Province is a requirement and responsibility of the employee.

Salary: $76,000-$78,000

Vacation: 3-weeks vacation