HyLife earns national recognition
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- Published on Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Submitted photo On March 8, representatives from Neepawa-based HyLife Foods LP received the 2017 Employer Awards for Newcomer Employment. They were one of the three Canadian companies to recognized with the national award, presented by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) . From left: Corinne Prince, director general, Integration Divison-IRCC; Jeremy Janzen, senior director of Human Resources, HyLife Ltd.; Jessica Martens, immigration case manager, HyLife Foods LP; Hon. Ahmed D. Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada.
By Kate Jackman-Atkinson
The Neepawa Press/Neepawa Banner
A local employer has received national recognition for their work hiring newcomers. With a workforce that’s almost half immigrants, Neepawa-based HyLife Foods LP was recognized last week by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. On March 8, representatives from the pork processing company travelled to Ottawa to receive their 2017 Employer Awards for Newcomer Employment. Out of 47 nominees from across Canada, HyLife was one of three award recipients.
Jeremy Janzen, Senior Director of Human Resources at HyLife Limited, HyLife Foods’ parent company, said that they were “honoured” to accept the award. He explained, "We accept this award on behalf of all of our employees and on behalf of the communities we work in. Being located in rural areas of western Canada, we enjoy access to some of the best and brightest Canadians. We also have the opportunity to employ people at all levels, from throughout the world.”
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen congratulated the company for their work helping newcomers to Canada find and retain jobs and enhance their employment skills. “I am beyond impressed by the initiative that HyLife Foods LP has taken in ensuring that such a significant portion of its workforce consists of immigrants. Companies like HyLife Foods LP are role models for others and show how important the role of employers is in the lives of newcomers,” said Hussen.
The annual awards recognize the efforts of local businesses to improve the labour market attachment and integration of newcomers across Canada. The winning organizations help reduce the barriers faced by newcomers in entering the labour market and improve their overall settlement in Canada.
Jessica Martens, Immigration Case Manager at HyLife Foods, said that the company began recruiting workers from the Philippines, Ukraine, Ireland and Korea in 2008. “We began dipping our toe in,” she explained. In 2012, the plant expanded and the company ramped up its overseas recruitment to help staff the new second shift. With such a large demand for workers, Martens explained that they couldn’t find the staff in Canada.
HyLife Foods currently employs about 1,250 people, approximately 50 per cent of whom are permanent residents or on the path to permanent resident status. In March 2015, the company’s immigration services were spun off from the general human resources function to better focus on the needs of the plant’s immigrant workers.
Most of the workers come to Canada specifically to begin work at the plant and some of the newcomers in the first groups have obtained their citizenship. Martens said to see the workers come as Temporary Foreign Workers and progress through to becoming Canadian citizens is exciting. “It’s so rewarding,” she explained. Martens explained that there are also about 400 workers who are Permanent Residents, a status which allows them to be reunited with their families in Canada. “It’s one of the most exciting parts of my position,” she said.
HyLife was nominated for the award by Neepawa and Area Immigrant Settlement Services. Don Walmsley, Settlement Services Coordinator with NAISS, said that they immediately thought of the company when they heard about the awards.
He added that they were “quite happy” to put forward HyLife’s name, noting that not only does the company recruit and employ a significant number of immigrants, they are also very supportive of the workers.
Martens explains that the support begins at departure from their home country and continues through to citizenship. The company provides airfare, meets the newcomers at the Winnipeg airport, arranges transportation to Neepawa, arranges accommodation and helps them get settled into their new homes. For the first month, HyLife covers the employees’ rent and transportation to and from work. The company also hosts a two day settlement orientation, helping the newcomers obtain SIN numbers and introducing them to aspects of Canadian life, such as health care, banking, service providers, laws and stress management. Martens said they try to prepare the workers so that there are no surprises, “We’re 100 per cent supportive.”
The winners were announced at the 2017 Employer Council of Champions Summit, which was organized by Hire Immigrants Ottawa. The event brought together business, government and civic leaders to discuss the effective integration of refugees and immigrants into the labour force and to celebrate employer excellence.
Ensuring a successful experience for both the newcomers and the employer is a team effort, with the potential for great rewards. “Without the newcomers, HyLife wouldn’t be where we are today, they’re part of the HyLife family,” said Martens. “With the help of the federal government, including IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), as well as Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee program and the Settlement Services offices, we have the privilege of walking alongside these newcomers as they become permanent residents and citizens. HyLife is excited to be a part of Canada-building as we continue to grow the diversity of our workforce, business, and communities,” explained Janzen.
