Oppurtunities for Trade in Services with Canada

1. A product of the Private Sector Outreach of the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), formerly the
+ CRNM
Private Sector
Trade Note
Opportunities for Trade in
Services with Canada1
TRADE IN SERVICES AND engineering services, computer and Canada had a services trade deficit with
INVESTMENT BETWEEN CARICOM-
CANADA OVERVIEW information services, management CARICOM (or CARICOM had a services
services and research and development trade surplus with Canada). Canada’s
Over the period 2003-2007, there was services. For the period 2003 – 2007, greatest deficit with CARICOM is seen
active trading in services between Canada exported a total of Can$7,433 in the trade of commercial services,
Canada and CARICOM (see table 1). million worth of services to CARICOM where Canada recorded a negative
Canada had an overall trade in (2.23% of Canadian services exported to balance of Can$-953 million.
services deficit with CARICOM over the world). Of these services exports,
the period 2003-2007. This was driven travel services accounted for 7.26%,
to a large extent by significant trade in commercial services accounted for
insurance services between Barbados 84.91% and transportation and
and Canada (mainly Ontario). Services government services 7.83% (see table 1).
that were being traded between
Canada and CARICOM included travel For this same period 2003 – 2007,
services, commercial services, Canada imported a total of Can$9,448
transportation and government million worth of services from CARICOM
services. (2.3% of all Canadian services imported
from the world). Of these imported
Of the services that were traded, trade services, travel services accounted for
in commercial services was the most 13.9%, commercial services accounted
dominant and generated the highest for 76.88%, and government and
income for both parties. Apart from transport services 9.20%.Overall, the
trade in insurance services, other data shows that for the period 2003-2007,
commercial services of some Canada imported more services than it
significance included architectural and exported to CARICOM, which means that
www.crnm.org

2. The greatest potential for trade in is in Barbados, in financial services, which is The greatest numbers of refugees from
services between CARICOM member Canada’s third largest destination for FDI CARICOM in Canada are from Haiti,
states and Canada exists in the behind the United States (US) and the United followed by, St. Vincent & Grenadines
Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta Kingdom (UK). Similarly, the bulk of and Guyana. For the period 2003 to
and British Columbia. CARICOM’s investment in Canada is from 2009, there was a movement of workers
Barbados. from all CARICOM member states to
The greatest number of permanent Canada. Provinces receiving the highest
residents from CARICOM in Canada was Trade in goods between Canada and number of workers from CARICOM are
recorded from Jamaica, followed by CARICOM takes place mainly between Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, British
Guyana and Haiti. The CARICOM CARICOM member states and the Canadian Columbia and Manitoba. Prince Edward
Island, Yukon, North West territories and
Table 1: Canada’s Trade in Services with CARICOM (2003‐2007) Nunavut recorded a small number of
workers.
SERVICES (CDN$’000) 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 TOTAL %
Categories of workers moving from
Total Services Receipts (Exports) 1,832 1,477 1,140 1,433 1,551 7,433 100% CARICOM states to Canada Provinces
Travel 86 102 106 118 128 540 7.26% and Territories include:
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% senior management occupations;
management occupations in
business, finance, natural and
Total Services Payments (Imports) 2,188 2,260 1,641 1,641 1,718 9,448 100% applied sciences, health, social
Travel 230 316 270 258 240 1,314 13.91% science, education, government
Commercial services 1,839 1,809 1,179 1,192 1,245 7,264 76.88% services and religion, art, recreation
Transportation and government services 119 135 192 191 232 869 9.20% and sports, sales and service
occupations;
paraprofessional occupations in
Total Exports - Total Imports -356 -783 -501 -208 -167 -2,015 100% law, social services, education and
Travel -144 -214 -164 -140 -112 -774 38.41% religion;
Commercial services -168 -550 -266 -14 45 -953 47.30% skilled and technical occupations in
Transportation and government services -44 -19 -71 -54 -99 -287 14.24% business administration and
finance, natural and applied
Source: Statistics Canada sciences and related professions,
sales and service, and primary
industry; processing, manufacturing
countries mainly involved in trade in Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and and utilities supervisors and
services with Canada were Barbados, The British Columbia. Some correlation was skilled operators;
Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad & found between the movement of workers assisting occupations in support of
Tobago; however StatsCan data reveal and/or immigrants from CARICOM member health services;
that Guyana, Haiti, Grenada, Belize, states and the movement of goods to the clerical occupations in business
Antigua & Barbuda, St. Lucia and Canadian Provinces and territories. and finance;
Suriname were also engaged in trade in Generally, Canadian Provinces or Territories
services over the period 2003-2007. No which recorded the greatest value of
evidence of trade in services with Canada imported goods from an individual
was provided for Dominica, Montserrat, CARICOM member state also recorded
St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Vincent & The higher numbers of workers and/or
Grenadines. immigrants from that same state.
With respect to foreign direct investment
MOVEMENT OF CARICOM WORKERS
(FDI), Canada is a major source of FDI for AND SKILLS SHORTAGES IN CANADA
CARICOM member states, the bulk of
which is invested in CARICOM’s financial The greatest number of economic residents
sector. StatsCan data revealed that the from CARICOM in Canada are from Haiti,
bulk of Canadian investment in CARICOM Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana.
www.crnm.org

3. elemental sales and service Service Representatives for Financial Services, Customer Service, Information and
occupations; Related Clerks and Survey Interviews and Statistical Clerks.
intermediate occupations in
transport, equipment operation, Natural and Applied Sciences and Related Occupations
installation and maintenance; The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:
trades helpers, construction
labourers and related occupations; Civil, Mechanical, Computer, Electronic and Electrical Engineers, Software Engineers and
labourers in processing Designers, Information Systems Analysts and Consultants, Computer Programmers and
manufacturing and utilities. Interactive Media Developers and Biologists and Related Scientists; and
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Computer Network
Skills shortages in Canada exist across and User Support Technicians, Drafting Technologists and Technicians, and Mechanical
all Provinces and Territories in a number Engineering Technologists and Technicians.
of areas. They are as follows:
Health Occupations
The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:
Business, finance and administrative
Specialists, General Practitioners and Family Physicians, Dentists, Pharmacists,
occupations Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Registered Nurses;
The most common occupations in which License Practical Nurses, Medical Radiation Technologists, Medical Laboratory
skills shortages exist across Canada Technologists and Pathologists’ Assistants; and
include: Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates and Other Assisting Occupations
in Support of Health Services.
Financial Managers, Banking,
Credit and Other Investment Social Science, Education, Government Service and Religion
Managers; The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:
Financial Auditors and Social Workers, College and Other Vocational Instructors, Lawyers, Quebec Notaries and
Accountants, Human Resources Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers; and
Specialists, Financial and Community and Social Service Workers, Early Childhood Educators and Assistants and
Investment Analysts, and Paralegal and Related Occupations.
Professional Occupations in
Business Services to Management; Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport
Bookkeepers and Insurance
The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:
Adjusters and Claims Examiners;
Authors and Writers and Professional Occupations in Public Relations and
and,
Communications; and
General Office Clerks, Accounting
Graphic Designers and Illustrators, and Programme Leaders and Instructors in
and Related Clerks, Customer
Recreation, Sport and Fitness.
For More on Sales and Service Occupations
The most common occupations in which skills shortages exist across Canada include:
CARICOM- Canada Retail Trade Managers, Restaurant and Food Service Managers, Accommodation Service
Managers and Sales, Marketing and Advertising Managers;
Trade Relations 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:
http://www.crnm.org/
“The greatest potential for trade in services between CARICOM and Canada
exists in the Provinces of Ontario, Alberta and British Colombia”
www.crnm.org

4. Readers are invited to suggest • Insurance services and other financial should more aggressively seek
topics of interest for future trade services. Barbados has exploited this opportunities to promote and position
through its tax laws, its Double Taxation themselves as viable destinations with
notes. Treaties, and stable economic and which Canada can seek to increase its
political environment. trade in services and increase its FDI (as in
• Business and professional services
the case of financial and other services in
Construction Managers, Residential such as architectural and engineering
Home-Builders and Renovators, services, computer and information
Barbados). Given the shortage of labour in
Transportation Managers and Facility services, management services and many (services) occupations in Canada,
Operation and Maintenance research and development services CARICOM should negotiate aggressively to
Managers; especially in those service areas and minimize barriers to trade such as the
Electricians, Plumbers, Steamfitters, Provinces where there are shortages of “Canadian experience” requirement and the
Pipefitters and Sprinkle System labour (identified earlier). lack of mutual recognition of qualifications.
Installers, Welders and Related • Tourism related services such as tour The Pan Canadian Framework for the
Machine Operators, Carpenters, operators and tour guides services. A Assessment and Recognition of Foreign
Concrete Finishers, Plasters, Drywall significant opportunity is recognized for Qualifications should be observed closely
Installers and Finisher and Lathers, CARICOM tour operators and tour and CARICOM should try to have the
Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanics, guides. Canada is a vast and very
and Automotive Service Technicians, recommendations in that Framework
beautiful country with oceans to the east
Truck and Bus Mechanics and and to the west and with impressive adopted where feasible.
Mechanical Repairers; and mountains, rivers and lakes. Canada is
Truck Drivers, Delivery and Courier now populated with a variety of people Those CARICOM countries that have no
Service Drivers, Heavy Duty from all over the world including a large Double Taxation Treaties with Canada
Equipment Operators (Except Crane) CARICOM Diaspora population so there should be encouraged to try to negotiate
and Metal Handlers. are many cultures to be experienced. them and along with those that have such
Tour operators and guides could offer Agreements should try to set up incentives
Occupations Unique to Primary their services to: (such as Offshore Business Centres) to
Industry: attract more investment and trade in
The most common occupations in which o Canadians who wish to visit
services within the Region.
skills shortages exist across Canada CARICOM, thereby competing
include: with Canadian companies that
Underground Production and currently provide most of
Development Managers, and these services. This could
Farmers and Farm Managers; help to reduce the leakages of
General farm Workers and Nursery (potential) tourism earnings
and Greenhouse Workers; and from the Region.
Harvesting Labourers and o Members of the CARICOM
Landscaping and Ground Diaspora living in certain
Maintenance Labourers. areas of Canada some of
whom would be favourably
disposed to doing business
Occupations Unique to Processing,
with entities from their Region
Manufacturing and Utilities of origin. These services NOTES
The most common occupations in which would include tours to
skills shortages exist across Canada CARICOM, within Canada, 1 Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), CARICOM
include: and to other parts of the world Secretariat. 2010. “Statistics on Trade in Services between
Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, o CARICOM Nationals wishing Canada and CARICOM States,” prepared by Noel Watson,
Poultry Preparers and Related PhD
to enjoy holidays in Canada
Workers, Fish Plant Workers, and (such as ski vacations given
Aircraft Assemblers and Aircraft that Canada has some of the
Assemblers Inspectors. Produced by the OTN Information Unit, 2009
best ski slopes and facilities in
the world). This would prevent
DIRECT ALL COMMENTS OR QUERIES
CARICOM Nationals from
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS TO:
having to obtain these
services from non-CARICOM Mr. Lincoln Price
There are numerous opportunities for entities. Private Sector Liaison
CARICOM countries to export more lincoln.price@crnm.org
services to the Canada in areas such as: On the whole, CARICOM countries
www.crnm.org