In Paris and Brussels Nov. 15-21

WELLINGTON, PEI – Nov. 6, 2015 – Two Prince Edward Island representatives will join a Canadian delegation heading to Paris, France, and Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 15-22 to help host the Destination Canada job fairs. Their objective: to convince people from France and Belgium to immigrate to PEI to work or start businesses here.

Gregory Urier, economic development officer with RDÉE Prince Edward Island, and Jacinthe Lemire, executive director of La Coopérative d’intégration francophone de l’Î.-P.-É., will have the opportunity to make presentations on the many advantages of living and working in a small province such as theirs. Next, they’ll get the opportunity to meet a number of people who’ve been preselected by the Canadian Embassy because they’ve shown a real interest in living and working in Canada and contributing to its economy.

Only those who’ve been accepted and invited by the Embassy will be allowed into the fairs. In all, 2,400 people will attend the three-day fair in Paris (Nov. 17-19) and another 800 people will participate in the one-day fair in Brussels (Nov. 21). Participants will arrive ready, with their résumé, their cover letter and their questions. Before getting there, they will also have had the opportunity to check out the numerous Canadian and Island job offers posted on the Destination Canada website.

This year, representatives of francophone organizations from eight Canadian provinces and territories will be participating in the fairs. At the start of each morning and afternoon, the provinces and territories will make brief presentations during a round table discussion to talk about their geography, economy, work market, climate and specific attractions to provide an overview of what newcomers could expect upon arrival.

PRESENTATIONS

During these sessions, Lemire will present her province to encourage participants to later visit the PEI booth to learn more about the Island workplace.

Urier will also be a presenter during a daily workshop called “Creating or Taking Over A Business in Canada”, which is obviously aimed at those who have an entrepreneurial interest. He’ll speak about the Island economy, entrepreneurial strategies, the new Pre-Departure settlement service, entrepreneurial support services and the province’s LaunchPad entrepreneurial incubation service.

At the Island booth, visitors will be able to access various information, including a booklet of available jobs on PEI. Those who are truly interested will be asked to fill out an information card that the Island representatives will bring back home to help link them up with potential employers.

During the fairs, the representatives of the participating RDÉEs will actively promote the new Pre-Departure settlement program that was established in September 2015. This program helps improve chances for the positive integration of immigrants even before they arrive on Canadian soil. It offers candidates who have already been granted permanent residency a personalized accompaniment in their professional integration.

Destination Canada is a job fair presented by the Embassy of Canada in France with support from Citizenship and Immigration Canada and in partnership with public agencies for employment and international mobility: Pôle employ international in France, and FOREM, Actiris International and VDAB in Belgium.

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CUTLINE: Gregory Urier, RDÉE PEI economic development officer, and Jacinthe Lemire, executive director of the Coopérative d’intégration francophone de l’Î.-P.-É., are heading off to the Destination Canada job fairs in Paris and Brussels Nov. 15-21 to promote Prince Edward Island as an immigration destination.

 

For more information:

Gregory Urier
Economic Development Officer
RDÉE Prince Edward Island
(902) 370-7333, Ext. 406 (Charlottetown)
(902) 854-3439, Ext. 223 (Wellington)
gregory@rdeeipe.org

Jacinthe Lemire
Executive director
Coopérative d’intégration francophone de l’Î.-P.-É.
(902) 888-1687
cp@cifipe.ca