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A product of the Private Sector Outreach of the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), formerly the CRNM

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Opportunities for Trade in Services with Canada1

TRADE IN SERVICES AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN CARICOM-CANADA OVERVIEW Over the period 2003-2007, there was active trading in services between Canada and CARICOM (see table 1). Canada had an overall trade in services deficit with CARICOM over the period 2003-2007. This was driven to a large extent by significant trade in insurance services between Barbados and Canada (mainly Ontario). Services that were being traded between Canada and CARICOM included travel services, commercial services, transportation and government services. Of the services that were traded, trade in commercial services was the most dominant and generated the highest income for both parties. Apart from trade in insurance services, other commercial services of some significance included architectural and

engineering services, computer and information services, management services and research and development services. For the period 2003 – 2007, Canada exported a total of Can$7,433 million worth of services to CARICOM (2.23% of Canadian services exported to the world). Of these services exports, travel services accounted for 7.26%, commercial services accounted for 84.91% and transportation and government services 7.83% (see table 1). For this same period 2003 – 2007, Canada imported a total of Can$9,448 million worth of services from CARICOM (2.3% of all Canadian services imported from the world). Of these imported services, travel services accounted for 13.9%, commercial services accounted for 76.88%, and government and transport services 9.20%.Overall, the data shows that for the period 2003-2007, Canada imported more services than it exported to CARICOM, which means that

Canada had a services trade deficit with CARICOM (or CARICOM had a services trade surplus with Canada). Canada’s greatest deficit with CARICOM is seen in the trade of commercial services, where Canada recorded a negative balance of Can$-953 million.

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SERVICES (CDN$’000) 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 TOTAL % Total Services Receipts (Exports) 1,832 1,477 1,140 1,433 1,551 7,433 100% Travel 86 102 106 118 128 540 7.26% Commercial services 1,671 1,259 913 1,178 1,290 6,311 84.91% Transportation and government services 75 116 121 137 133 582 7.83% Total Services Payments (Imports) 2,188 2,260 1,641 1,641 1,718 9,448 100% Travel 230 316 270 258 240 1,314 13.91% Commercial services 1,839 1,809 1,179 1,192 1,245 7,264 76.88% Transportation and government services 119 135 192 191 232 869 9.20% Total Exports - Total Imports -356 -783 -501 -208 -167 -2,015 100% Travel -144 -214 -164 -140 -112 -774 38.41% Commercial services -168 -550 -266 -14 45 -953 47.30% Transportation and government services -44 -19 -71 -54 -99 -287 14.24%

Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. Some correlation was found between the movement of workers and/or immigrants from CARICOM member states and the movement of goods to the Canadian Provinces and territories. Generally, Canadian Provinces or Territories which recorded the greatest value of imported goods from an individual CARICOM member state also recorded higher numbers of workers and/or immigrants from that same state.

MOVEMENT OF CARICOM WORKERS AND SKILLS SHORTAGES IN CANADA The greatest number of economic residents from CARICOM in Canada are from Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana.

The greatest potential for trade in services between CARICOM member states and Canada exists in the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. The greatest number of permanent residents from CARICOM in Canada was recorded from Jamaica, followed by Guyana and Haiti. The CARICOM

is in Barbados, in financial services, which is Canada’s third largest destination for FDI behind the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Similarly, the bulk of CARICOM’s investment in Canada is from Barbados. Trade in goods between Canada and CARICOM takes place mainly between CARICOM member states and the Canadian

countries mainly involved in trade in services with Canada were Barbados, The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago; however StatsCan data reveal that Guyana, Haiti, Grenada, Belize, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Lucia and Suriname were also engaged in trade in services over the period 2003-2007. No evidence of trade in services with Canada was provided for Dominica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Vincent & The Grenadines. With respect to foreign direct investment (FDI), Canada is a major source of FDI for CARICOM member states, the bulk of which is invested in CARICOM’s financial sector. StatsCan data revealed that the bulk of Canadian investment in CARICOM

The greatest numbers of refugees from CARICOM in Canada are from Haiti, followed by, St. Vincent & Grenadines and Guyana. For the period 2003 to 2009, there was a movement of workers from all CARICOM member states to Canada. Provinces receiving the highest number of workers from CARICOM are Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba. Prince Edward Island, Yukon, North West territories and Nunavut recorded a small number of workers. Categories of workers moving from CARICOM states to Canada Provinces and Territories include:

senior management occupations; management occupations in

business, finance, natural and applied sciences, health, social science, education, government services and religion, art, recreation and sports, sales and service occupations;

paraprofessional occupations in law, social services, education and religion;

skilled and technical occupations in business administration and finance, natural and applied sciences and related professions, sales and service, and primary industry; processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and skilled operators;

assisting occupations in support of health services;

clerical occupations in business and finance;

Source: Statistics Canada

Table 1: Canada’s Trade in Services with CARICOM (2003‐2007)

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“The greatest potential for trade in services between CARICOM and Canada exists in the Provinces of Ontario, Alberta and British Colombia”

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elemental sales and service occupations;

intermediate occupations in transport, equipment operation, installation and maintenance;

trades helpers, construction labourers and related occupations;

labourers in processing manufacturing and utilities.

Skills shortages in Canada exist across all Provinces and Territories in a number of areas. They are as follows: Business, finance and administrative occupations The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Financial Managers, Banking, Credit and Other Investment Managers;

Financial Auditors and Accountants, Human Resources Specialists, Financial and Investment Analysts, and Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management;

Bookkeepers and Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners; and,

General Office Clerks, Accounting and Related Clerks, Customer

Service Representatives for Financial Services, Customer Service, Information and Related Clerks and Survey Interviews and Statistical Clerks.

Natural and Applied Sciences and Related Occupations The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Civil, Mechanical, Computer, Electronic and Electrical Engineers, Software Engineers and Designers, Information Systems Analysts and Consultants, Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers and Biologists and Related Scientists; and

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Computer Network and User Support Technicians, Drafting Technologists and Technicians, and Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians.

Health Occupations The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Specialists, General Practitioners and Family Physicians, Dentists, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Registered Nurses;

License Practical Nurses, Medical Radiation Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists’ Assistants; and

Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates and Other Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services.

Social Science, Education, Government Service and Religion The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Social Workers, College and Other Vocational Instructors, Lawyers, Quebec Notaries and Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers; and

Community and Social Service Workers, Early Childhood Educators and Assistants and Paralegal and Related Occupations.

Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Authors and Writers and Professional Occupations in Public Relations and Communications; and

Graphic Designers and Illustrators, and Programme Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness.

Sales and Service Occupations The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Retail Trade Managers, Restaurant and Food Service Managers, Accommodation Service Managers and Sales, Marketing and Advertising Managers;

Police Officers (Except Commissioned), Hairstylists and Barbers, Cooks, Chefs, Insurance Agents and Brokers, Food Service Supervisors and Retail Trade Supervisors;

Sale Representatives – Wholesale Trade (Non-Technical), Retail Sale Persons and Sales Clerks, Hotel Front Desk Clerks, Food and Beverage Servers, Visiting Homemakers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations, and Aestheticians, Electrologists and Related Occupations; and

Cashiers, Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations, Security Guards and Related Occupations, Light Duty Cleaners, and Other Elemental Sales Occupations.

Trade, Transport and Equipment Operators and Related Occupations The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

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• Insurance services and other financial services. Barbados has exploited this through its tax laws, its Double Taxation Treaties, and stable economic and political environment.

• Business and professional services such as architectural and engineering services, computer and information services, management services and research and development services especially in those service areas and Provinces where there are shortages of labour (identified earlier).

• Tourism related services such as tour operators and tour guides services. A significant opportunity is recognized for CARICOM tour operators and tour guides. Canada is a vast and very beautiful country with oceans to the east and to the west and with impressive mountains, rivers and lakes. Canada is now populated with a variety of people from all over the world including a large CARICOM Diaspora population so there are many cultures to be experienced. Tour operators and guides could offer their services to:

o Canadians who wish to visit CARICOM, thereby competing with Canadian companies that currently provide most of these services. This could help to reduce the leakages of (potential) tourism earnings from the Region.

o Members of the CARICOM Diaspora living in certain areas of Canada some of whom would be favourably disposed to doing business with entities from their Region of origin. These services would include tours to CARICOM, within Canada, and to other parts of the world

o CARICOM Nationals wishing to enjoy holidays in Canada (such as ski vacations given that Canada has some of the best ski slopes and facilities in the world). This would prevent CARICOM Nationals from having to obtain these services from non-CARICOM entities.

On the whole, CARICOM countries

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NOTES 1 Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), CARICOM Secretariat. 2010. “Statistics on Trade in Services between Canada and CARICOM States,” prepared by Noel Watson, PhD

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Construction Managers, Residential Home-Builders and Renovators, Transportation Managers and Facility Operation and Maintenance Managers;

Electricians, Plumbers, Steamfitters, Pipefitters and Sprinkle System Installers, Welders and Related Machine Operators, Carpenters, Concrete Finishers, Plasters, Drywall Installers and Finisher and Lathers, Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanics, and Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repairers; and

Truck Drivers, Delivery and Courier Service Drivers, Heavy Duty Equipment Operators (Except Crane) and Metal Handlers.

Occupations Unique to Primary Industry: The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Underground Production and Development Managers, and Farmers and Farm Managers;

General farm Workers and Nursery and Greenhouse Workers; and

Harvesting Labourers and Landscaping and Ground Maintenance Labourers.

Occupations Unique to Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:

Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, Poultry Preparers and Related Workers, Fish Plant Workers, and Aircraft Assemblers and Aircraft Assemblers Inspectors.

STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS There are numerous opportunities for CARICOM countries to export more services to the Canada in areas such as:

should more aggressively seek opportunities to promote and position themselves as viable destinations with which Canada can seek to increase its trade in services and increase its FDI (as in the case of financial and other services in Barbados). Given the shortage of labour in many (services) occupations in Canada, CARICOM should negotiate aggressively to minimize barriers to trade such as the “Canadian experience” requirement and the lack of mutual recognition of qualifications. The Pan Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications should be observed closely and CARICOM should try to have the recommendations in that Framework adopted where feasible.

Those CARICOM countries that have no Double Taxation Treaties with Canada should be encouraged to try to negotiate them and along with those that have such Agreements should try to set up incentives (such as Offshore Business Centres) to attract more investment and trade in services within the Region.