Tourism HR Canada is pleased to announce a new partnership with Windmill Microlending, a registered charity organization that offers low-interest microloans to skilled newcomers to Canada who struggle with the cost of upskilling, credentials, and accreditations.
Serving newcomers since 2005, Windmill provides up to $15,000 in microloans to pay for professional examinations, training, assessments, professional association fees, books and materials, living allowance, and other related expenses associated with obtaining credentials and training. Windmill explains that these internationally trained individuals often cannot access mainstream credit because they have low income and/or no Canadian credit history.
At the initial meeting, both Tourism HR Canada and Windmill Microlending identified some strategic areas of alignment with Tourism HR Canada’s Destination Employment project, considering that both organizations share a similar target audience (newcomers to Canada).
With Windmill Microlending’s long-standing relationship with immigrant serving agencies in Alberta and Saskatoon, Tourism HR Canada will leverage this opportunity to network and reach out to newcomers about participating in Destination Employment. Qualified beneficiaries can in-turn visit Windmill Microlending to access low-interest microloans.
Partnerships such as this one have become imperative to re-emphasize the importance of industry collaboration and the Government of Canada’s initiatives towards achieving a shared vision and common goal of helping newcomers secure sustainable jobs upon arrival in Canada. In the near future, other areas of strategic alliance will also be explored.