Canadian companies eye Ukrainian tech workers amid Russian invasion
BNN Bloomberg
When Russia started waging war against Ukraine last month, Vancouver recruiter VanHack was so anxious to help that it immediately created a directory of Ukrainian tech workers willing and eager to relocate for a job or to work remotely.
When Russia started waging war against Ukraine last month, Vancouver recruiter VanHack was so anxious to help that it immediately created a directory of Ukrainian tech workers willing and eager to relocate for a job or to work remotely.
The company waived or offered to donate the placement fees for Ukrainian hires to charities and had 226 companies in less than two weeks that were interested in learning how they could bring in Ukrainian tech workers and at least a dozen doing interviews.
"It's been overwhelming," said VanHack founder and chief executive Ilya Brotzky, who was born in Russia and often visited his late grandfather in Ukraine.
"I've honestly never seen anything like it. It's just so much outpouring and support. It's been really encouraging."
VanHack, which helped two Ukrainian workers find jobs in Canada in the days leading up to the Russian invasion, was not the only company with its eye on Ukrainian tech workers.
Scores of other Canadian tech businesses keen to advance humanitarian efforts and grappling with labour shortages have also begun looking at how they could welcome Ukrainians to their workforce.
