Just before 2022 draws to a close, Nexapp flies off to France for its first recruitment mission in partnership with Québec International. Québec International is an organization that helps companies recruit abroad to access hundreds of qualified candidates.
With growing needs over the past few years and a shortage of workers in Quebec's technology sector, our Culture & Talent team decided to diversify its recruitment tactics. This mission abroad will enable us to benefit from the expertise of skilled workers living abroad while helping them achieve their goal of settling in Quebec within the following year.
To better understand the realities of candidates wishing to immigrate to Quebec and work with us, we spoke to three Nexapp employees who have already been here: Safa from Tunisia, Pierre-Antoine from France and Agostino from Belgium.
"For me, it was really the respect for differences that encouraged me to come and work in Quebec. As a veiled woman, I've already had problems getting hired elsewhere. There were times when I was qualified for a job but was turned down at the end of the process because of what I was wearing. Here in Quebec, I've never felt discriminated against, so I had more job opportunities."
Safa Khayati, developer at Nexapp
Agostino Parlapiano, our Lead Designer, benefited from an agreement between Belgium and Quebec that facilitated his move here. After a few years of experience in UX design in his home country, Agostino came to Quebec to do a Master's degree and then caught the Nexapp bug!
Scrum Master Pierre-Antoine Laine came to Quebec to study, then decided to stay and work after graduating. "I first chose Quebec because of the French language. It's already a big adjustment to immigrate, so it's an advantage not to have to learn a new language. It's less of a change of scenery, even if the culture differs."
Understanding Quebecers hasn't been too complicated for Safa, Pierre-Antoine and Agostino, except for the occasional local joke or expression! Even if the accent differs from one person to another and can seem challenging, adaptation is easy.
"There's a cliché with the Quebec accent—that it's hard to understand—but I've never had a problem with the language here. And in my work, the same terms are used."
Agostino Parlapiano, Lead Designer at Nexapp
Pierre-Antoine appreciated the hiring process in Quebec and at Nexapp. He felt they wanted to get to know him and give him every chance to prove his skills. "They didn't try to trick me or find my weakness in the interview," he adds. In his opinion, it's easy to find a job here, especially when starting your career. Candidates don't need the perfect degree for the job; we emphasize the learning and experiences the person has had rather than the theory they've learned. People continue to learn throughout their careers, and the "right to make mistakes" is openly communicated. Agostino agrees: "One thing I really liked about Nexapp is that we do a lot of continuous training. We believe in our potential and focus on personal and professional development. That means a lot to people like me, who feel they're going backwards if they're not constantly learning new things."
When Safa arrived in Quebec, she noticed that the steps involved in obtaining permanent residency or a work permit were complex. "Fortunately, I had Nexapp's support in the process," she says.
Elisabeth Daigle, our HR Advisor, mentions that all candidates who accept one of our offers will have the necessary support. "We really want to support our international talent in their projects and do everything in our power to facilitate their arrival and integration." In concrete terms, employees can count on a resource person to help them with housing and administrative formalities, among other things. In addition, we allocate a budget to support their project.
For Pierre-Antoine and Agostino, immigration to Quebec has not been too tricky, as they arrived as students, and the process is different.
"There's always a complexity with immigration formalities, but when you're motivated, it's really achievable. If you're confident about the job you're aiming for, as I was at Nexapp, you just have to do it!"
Pierre-Antoine Laine, Scrum Master at Nexapp
One of the things that surprised our international employees when they arrived at Nexapp was the very good work-life balance. It's not a culture based on excessive work or never-ending schedules. The physical and mental health of our employees is non-negotiable!
Are you a fan of happy hour? So are we! Occasionally, our team also likes to finish the afternoon's work at a microbrewery. Breaks in the day are encouraged, and several social and sporting activities are organized each month. Every Wednesday afternoon, for example, the team takes a 15-minute break to play a little virtual game. Some evenings, it's laser tag, escape games, board games, rock climbing, restaurant outings, or any other activity suggested by team members.
Another much-appreciated advantage for international talent at Nexapp is the flexibility offered. "Employees have the freedom to work where they want and choose their schedule per the policy. This is advantageous for those who want to visit their families outside the country, as we allow them to go and work abroad for a set period," reiterates Elisabeth.
In 2022, Nexapp was named one of Canada's Top Growing Companies by The Globe and Mail and was awarded the Great Place to Work® certification.