We\u2019re here to tell you the story of the creative entrepreneurs who looked outside of the box to find real ways to fill the startling lack of senior support workers.<\/p>\n
The idea that started it all<\/h3>\n
Les B\u00e2tisseurs de Baie-Saint-Paul<\/a> is lucky enough to have among its residents members of the les Petites Franciscaines de Marie<\/a> religious community. Madagascar<\/strong> At Les B\u00e2tisseurs, as everywhere in Quebec, a lack of staff remains an ongoing issue.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n In 2019, Mr. S\u00e9bastien Gauthier, President of the Les B\u00e2tisseurs Group<\/a>, tackled the issue head on by hiring \u00c9rik Roby as Director of Human Resources.<\/p>\n Mr. Roby brought experience in international recruitment to the table. The group determined that it would need 58 support workers to serve all of its residences.<\/p>\n Mr. Roby contacted a recruitment agency, Solution mobilit\u00e9 internationale (SMI)<\/a>, for assistance with recruitment strategies. Together, they developed job postings for support workers based in Madagascar.<\/p>\n They received 1,150 applications.<\/strong> Mr. Roby and SMI made their way to the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo ,to interview candidates. They met people with exceptional know-how and skills. This included caregivers, who have a role similar to support workers, with impressive technical skills and knowledge of specific illnesses that are less known here including: rabies, malaria, plague, leprosy, as well as hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer\u2019s and the flu to name a few.<\/p>\n They hired 59* candidates<\/strong>, some of whom were doctors, and were later named \u201csuper support workers\u201d. When they found out they were hired, there were lots of emotions. Candidates were crying tears of happiness, thankful to be chosen to come and work in Quebec.<\/p>\n *The final candidate who was selected for an interview, attended with his wife, who was also a support worker and she was waiting in the hotel lobby. The interviewers decided to hire them both. There were other couples who were chosen to work together to help the residents of Les R\u00e9sidences des B\u00e2tisseurs.<\/p>\n All the applications were managed with the help of a recruitment agency and an immigration lawyer. They were filed with the relevant government authorities in November 2019…<\/p>\n The candidates who were set to arrive in Quebec were given 2-year employer-specific work permits (a permit to work in a specific position for a single employer). (Source : Immigration Canada, Types of work permits<\/a>).<\/p>\n With \u00c9rik Roby\u2019s help, Reloc Qu\u00e9bec<\/a> was chosen to help the newcomers with integration and find housing. Employees were eager to organize integration committees.<\/p>\n
\nThis community is still active on the island of Madagascar, where the resident sisters of Baie-Saint-Paul have carried out several humanitarian missions. This community believed firmly that they could fill the empty positions with people from Madagascar.<\/p>\n
\nThe Malagasy population at a glance: 25 million inhabitants\u201320% French speaking, 40% Christian, a young population, with an unemployment rate of 80% for the labour force (those 25 to 35 years old). Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 75% of population living on less than $1.90 per day. (Source: worldbank.org<\/a>)<\/p>\nBringing a Human Resources Director on board<\/h3>\n
![\"S\u00e9bastien](\"https:\/\/blog.residences-quebec.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/S\u00e9bastien_Gauthier_Pr\u00e9sident_Les_B\u00e2tisseurs-2-300x300.jpg\")
![\"\u00c9rik](\"https:\/\/blog.residences-quebec.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Erik_Roby_Directeur_Ressources_Humaines_Les_B\u00e2tisseurs-300x300.jpg\")
\nThey selected 200 of the original applications and 73 candidates were chosen carefully for the next step.<\/strong><\/p>\nInterviews in Madagascar<\/h3>\n
Why 59?<\/h3>\n
Novembre 2019<\/h3>\n
Integration<\/h3>\n
As of April 24, 2020, we\u2019re still anxiously awaiting their arrival…<\/h3>\n