Vancouver, B.C. –June 22, 2007 ~With the Canadian jobless rate at a 30~year low and three quarters of Canadian companies reporting difficulty attracting and retaining the right people, more and more employers are turning to immigrant seasonal labourers and foreign worker programs to help address labour shortages.
Employment inCanada has been on an upward trend since August 2006 with average monthly
gains of 42,000 jobs. Strong job growth inSaskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia drove much of these numbers.
Human Resources Development Canada (www.hrsdc.gc.ca) lists carpenters, plumbers, electricians, managers, professors, teachers, forestry workers, mining workers, agricultural workers, pharmacists, nurses and therapists as just some of the professions indemand by Canadian employers.
Unfortunately many visitors to Canada don’t have insurance for sickness or injury. Foreignworkers may have to wait months before they’re eligible for the company medical plan. A large number of foreign workers aren’t accustomed to travel insurance and don’t understand the value of carrying insurance.
Magdi Riad, vice~president of claims and assistance for TIC Travel Insurance Coordinators Ltd., recommends that employers insure new hires. “Visitors or new Canadians need to feel secure knowing that they have appropriate coverage for unexpected medical expenses,”said Riad.
TIC offers Global Expatriate Hospital & Medical Insurance for non~Canadians residing outside of their country of origin while employed by a Canadian company. Workers can receive up to $1 million coverage for hospital and medical expenses, and other benefits including Physician, Return Home and Ambulance services.
As the pace of the economy quickens and Canadian employers increasingly rely on foreign workers, medical insurance for visitors to Canada becomes more important than ever.
To learn more about travel insurance for visitors to Canada or for a complete list of TIC’s travel insurance products, visit www.biis.ca