Industry Profile: Oil & Gas
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Introduction
British Columbia’s government forecasts a high demand for workers in the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) sector. LNG Canada is the largest private sector investment in Canadian history. It will require a large workforce for both construction activities and long-term operations.
Employment in the oil and gas industry is very dependent on economic cycles. The COVID-19 global pandemic and an oversupplied oil market have had a significant negative impact on the Canadian industry and its workforce. However, industry sources anticipate a modest recovery over the next 3 years.
Number of Job openings in BC, 2021-2031
British Columbia is projected to see 2,810 job openings in the oil and gas industry between 2021 and 2023. The Province shows a resiliency not seen in other regions of Canada, adding jobs related to LNG plants and for site reclamation as well as the replacement retiring workers. Companies are already experiencing challenges attracting oil and gas services workers. For 2022 and 2023, hiring is expected for field and plant operations and maintenance roles, as well as oil and gas services occupations.
The development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector is a fairly new area of focus which represents a significant opportunity. LNG facilities and associated pipelines will create operations and maintenance roles.
Northern BC, in particular, will need to recruit numerous workers to meet construction and operations requirements.
The industry is in need of a more skilled and knowledgeable workforce. As energy projects resume and workers retire, BC’s industry will require more people with specialized skills to work in an increasingly complex environment. Higher levels of reading, mathematical ability, communications and problem-solving skills are required to perform new tasks.
Immigrants are seen as a key source of talent as oil and gas companies seek to meet their hiring needs in the years ahead.
The industry has responded by developing a number of programs to attract newcomers. These include:
- initiatives to attract newcomers to remote locations of the province
- corporate efforts to encourage diversity in the workplace
- strategies for streamlining foreign-credential recognition
One such initiative is the FAST BC – Facilitating Access to Skilled Talent – Skilled Trades program. FAST BC is a set of free online services and resources to help skilled newcomers succeed in the Canadian workplace, including:
- skills and knowledge assessment and online training
- e-Mentoring
- international credential evaluation services
- access to BC JobConnect, which connects you to Canadian employers
In recognition of the current demand for skilled professionals in northern BC, the Canadian government has created the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. This program creates a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the participating communities.