IOM has facilitated the final selection of 270 Colombians who have
been offered employment contracts by the Lakeside Packers
Corporation, a meat processing plant and affiliate of Tyson
Corporation located in Brooks, Alberta, Canada.

IOM worked with local municipalities to identify potential
candidates who met the selection criteria provided by the Canadian
employer.  The applicants underwent a pre-selection process
that included IOM monitoring and evaluation to ensure a transparent
process emphasizing the protection of migrants' rights and labour
conditions in Canada.

Recruitment staff of Lakeside Packers traveled to Colombia to
interview the potential candidates and provide information on their
rights, life in Canada, the migration process, as well as to
provide information and including showing a video on the plant.

After an interview with Lakeside recruitment staff, those
accepted were asked to undergo a medical examination.  The 270
selected candidates were offered two-year contracts with the option
to participate in the Canadian Provincial Nominee Program for
Permanent Residency, as well as family reunification.

After completing the medical exam, visa requirements and a
comprehensive cultural orientation course, the migrants will be
departing to Canada in March and April 2008.  They will be
accompanied by IOM staff and met at the airport by a representative
of Lakeside Packers.  All workers will receive English
language courses and safety training once in Canada.

Paul Mizzi, Head of Recruitment for Lakeside Packers in Brooks,
said the plant currently employs 2,400 people and seeks to expand
its operations with the hiring of hundreds of additional
workers.  With the arrival of the newly selected employees, in
addition to 50 Colombians already working at the plant, more than
10 per cent of the workers will be from Colombia. 

Lakeside Packers also plans to work with IOM in Mauritius in its
expansion of hiring temporary foreign workers.

José-Angel Oropeza, IOM Chief of Mission in Colombia
said: “IOM is committed to facilitating safe and orderly
migration and promoting migration for development.  These
migrants will be able to send remittances home to their families,
which will help improve the level of development in the communities
of origin.  The ultimate goal is increased cooperation between
governments, the private sector and international
organizations.”

Lakeside Packers was established in 1964 and is now part of
Tyson Corporation, the largest meat-processing company in the
world.  Its 117 plants in North America employ more than
117,000 people.

For more information please contact:

Jorge Andres Gallo

IOM Bogota

Tel: 57.311 5619495 or 57.1.622 77 74 ext. 114

E-mail: "mailto:jgallo@oim.org.co">jgallo@oim.org.co