Turning commitment into action: Inclusive strategies for hiring and retaining immigrant talent

by: Julia Aitken, Program Director

As Canada continues to welcome record numbers of immigrants, a pressing question is emerging: Are we doing enough to help them stay in the country?

According to the Conference Board of Canada’s latest impact paper, The Leaky Bucket 2024, one in five immigrants will leave the country within 25 years, and over a third of those departures will occur in the first five years. Even more concerning, economic immigrants, specifically those selected for their skills and labour market potential, are the most likely to leave.

These findings struck a chord when I attended the Conference Board of Canada’s 10th Canadian Immigration Summit last November. The conversations at the Summit — and now, this data —underscore what we at Aman Lara witness firsthand through our Horizon Hope initiative: hiring skilled refugee and immigrant talent is only the beginning. What happens after they arrive—the support, integration, and sense of belonging they experience — makes all the difference in whether they stay, contribute, and thrive.

As employers explore their role in building inclusive workplaces, it's not enough to recruit internationally. The challenge — and the opportunity — is to develop strategic HR practices that move beyond hiring to foster true, long-term integration.

The six HR strategies outlined below reflect proven approaches from the field. They reflect a growing understanding that recruiting international talent is not a transactional act, but a transformational opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities alike.

HR Strategies for Integrating International Talent

To build a workforce that effectively integrates refugee and immigrant talent, organizations should focus on six key HR strategies:

1. Establish Inclusive Recruitment Frameworks 

A strategic HR approach to international recruitment begins with rethinking traditional hiring models to better recognize and accommodate the diverse pathways through which global talent develops. Many immigrants and refugees bring valuable skills acquired through informal,  unconventional, or non-linear career trajectories. Yet their qualifications may not always align with domestic credentialing systems or conventional hiring practices.

To build inclusive and effective recruitment frameworks, employers can:

• Recognize non-traditional work experience and global qualifications by implementing inclusive screening criteria and alternative methods of assessing and recognizing candidate readiness. Tools like the World Education Services (WES) Gateway Program support this by helping displaced individuals validate their international education and training, even when formal documentation is unavailable.

• Invest in language training and pre-employment development programs, which help newcomers build job readiness and signal that the organization values long-term integration. Support may include access to workplace English classes, technical vocabulary resources, or partnerships with community-based language providers. 

• Work with trusted organizations such as Aman Lara and others specializing in identifying, screening, and supporting refugee candidates. These partners help de-risk the process by ensuring candidates are well-matched, job-ready, and supported throughout the hiring journey, offering employers a scalable, impact-driven solution to address talent shortages.

2. Build Pre-Arrival Readiness

Effective integration begins well before a candidate’s first day on the job. Pre-arrival readiness is one of the most powerful — yet underutilized — stages in the international hiring process. It sets the foundation for long-term success by ensuring candidates arrive with realistic expectations, workplace awareness, and confidence.

Employers can enhance pre-arrival support by engaging partners who specialize in preparing candidates and hiring teams for success. For example, under its Horizon Hope initiative, Aman Lara has recently partnered with ThriveON, a Canadian social enterprise whose model spans the entire pre-arrival journey. ThriveON delivers life-skills training, cultural orientation, and personalized readiness planning, ensuring candidates understand how to succeed in the workplace and navigate their new communities.

In addition to preparing candidates, ThriveON also works with employers to help align onboarding expectations, build inclusive team environments, and flag any potential challenges before they arise, creating a smoother transition on both sides.

3. Build Tailored Onboarding Programs

Once international hires arrive, onboarding becomes a critical determinant of success in terms of role performance, retention, and overall well-being. A tailored, culturally responsive onboarding process ensures refugee and immigrant employees can contribute confidently and sustainably.

Employers can facilitate effective onboarding by: 

• Introducing workplace culture and expectations while addressing cultural differences and communication styles. Tools like Cultural Intelligence Training, Culture Ally, and the Canada Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) resources can help foster mutual understanding and build inclusive team dynamics.

• Implementing mentorship programs that connect new hires with experienced employees, creating trusted spaces for learning and guidance. Programs such as the Mentoring Partnership in Canada and Thrive Refugee Enterprise in Australia offer valuable models.

• Providing community-based support that extends beyond the workplace, including assistance with housing, education, and local services, to ease the transition for newcomers and their families. This wraparound approach is particularly impactful when integrated with pre-arrival planning. For example, ThriveON’s family integration model proactively identifies key needs, such as childcare, transit, healthcare, or school registration, helping candidates settle with stability and focus from day one.

By combining early engagement with thoughtful onboarding, employers enhance the employee experience and lay the foundation for long-term retention and impact.

4. Focus on Professional Development and Growth

Retention doesn’t just happen—it’s cultivated. Refugee and immigrant employees thrive in environments where growth and career mobility are visible, accessible, and actively supported. Organizations can strengthen engagement and long-term integration by:

• Offering leadership development opportunities that identify and nurture talent, paving paths for advancement.

• Creating access to upskilling and certification pathways, such as micro-credential programs, language courses, or industry-standard certifications. These opportunities increase confidence and mobility within the organization.

• Pairing mentorship with career navigation tools, including internal sponsorship programs and structured performance planning. When paired with cultural orientation and skill mapping, mentorship becomes a key lever for unlocking talent.

5. Strengthen Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Strategies

DEIB is not a one-time training — it’s an organizational mindset that requires ongoing commitment. For refugee and immigrant hires, DEIB practices determine whether they feel seen, respected, and able to make a full contribution. Employers can advance DEIB  by:

• Providing ongoing cultural competency and unconscious bias training embedded across all levels of leadership and staff, not just during onboarding.

• Launching Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)for immigrant, newcomer, or multicultural employees, creating peer support spaces that affirm identity and voice.

• Celebrating multicultural events and holidays to encourage a culture of shared learning, belonging, and respect for diverse backgrounds, traditions, and perspectives.

6. Collaborate with Stakeholders to Provide Holistic Support

No single employer can—or should—do this alone. The most sustainable models of international talent integration rely on ecosystems of support, where employers, nonprofits, government actors, and settlement agencies work in tandem.

Employers can foster holistic success by:

• Engaging trusted community organizations and immigrant-serving agencies that can provide specialized supports, such as mental health services, financial literacy programs, or legal aid referrals.

• Forming strategic partnerships with organizations such as Aman Lara, which offer deep expertise in refugee protection, pathway navigation, and candidate support throughout the resettlement and employment journey..

• Committing to support beyond the hire, including check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days, referral networks for post-arrival services, and flexibility as candidates adjust to life in a new country.

By participating in this broader web of support, employers improve outcomes and contribute to systemic change.

The Impact of Inclusive Hiring Strategies

Inclusive hiring and tailored integration strategies improve retention, reduce turnover, and strengthen performance. According to McKinsey’s Power of Diversity report,  companies in the top quartile for gender and ethnic diversity in executive teams are, on average, 9% more likely to outperform their peers financially. Inclusive organizations also gain a competitive edge, attracting top talent and socially conscious job seekers. 

Beyond business performance, inclusive hiring has powerful societal benefits. Refugee employment contributes to local economies and social cohesion, while enriching organizational culture with resilience, adaptability, and global perspectives.

Projects such as Aman Lara’s Horizon Hope initiative exemplify these benefits. Through tailored recruitment and wrap-around support, they help address labor shortages while empowering refugees to rebuild their careers and integrate into their new communities in Canada. 

Resources like The Refugee Integration Employer Handbook by Hire Immigrants offer practical guidance for employers to take meaningful action and confidently integrate refugee talent.

A Call to Action

The Canadian Immigration Summit marked a pivotal moment — one that reaffirmed the urgent need for strategic, inclusive hiring and the full integration of refugee talent into the Canadian workforce.

At  Aman Lara, we are proud to be part of this solution through initiatives like Horizon Hope, which operates under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot. But Horizon Hope is more than a workforce solution — it’s a bridge between Canada’s economic goals and our humanitarian commitments.

Since 2021, Aman Lara has worked to support the most vulnerable and displaced — reuniting families, creating pathways to safety, and honouring Canada’s commitment to those who stood by us in times of conflict. The EMPP offers something rare and powerful: restoring dignity and opportunity to those who have endured displacement, often under extreme hardship.

This model doesn’t just fill jobs — it saves lives, builds futures, and strengthens communities. Candidates arrive not as temporary workers, but as new Canadians — ready to contribute, build, and belong.

Yet, we cannot scale this impact alone.

As a registered charity, Aman Lara invites you to join us. Whether you are an employer, a funder, a policymaker, or a concerned citizen, your support helps open doors to opportunity for refugees while meeting Canada’s workforce needs in sectors that matter most.

Together, we can turn commitment into action — and action into a more inclusive and prosperous Canada.