Hiring agency for displaced Ukrainians born from Manitoba businessman's staffing needs

Mark Myrowich was desperate for staff to work in his manufacturing factories in rural Manitoba when he tapped into a valuable resource Ukrainians who had fledthe war in theircountry.

"It was just hard finding people and to grow my business or even to make the products that my customers wanted," Myrowich told CBC Manitoba Information Radio host Marcy Markusaon Tuesday.

"You see the for-hire signs everywhere. There's just a lack of people."

He started reaching out through social media groups for the newly arrived Ukrainians, and arranged for host families in the Manitoba townsof Riverton and Blumenort, where hisfactories are located.His company ECBVerdyolmakes erosion control blankets and otherproducts.

"It's been a game changer,"Myrowich said. "They're here, they want to work, they want to contribute to society."

And they can begin working quickly,thanks tothe Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel, which fast-tracks immigration for displaced Ukrainians.

People coming in through the federalprogram are considered temporary residents, allowing them to work and study in Canada for threeyears.

"When they show up at the border, they get their work visa put right into their passport and they're able to come here and work,"Myrowichsaid.

"The province has done a fantastic job putting them up in housing, getting their SIN number, getting their medical health number, being able to take their Ukrainian driver's licence and change it into a Manitoba one."

One person he connected with was working three days later.

"It's that quick, and that's the opportunity here for Canadians we have these people that don't have to go through the regular immigration process,"Myrowichsaid.

"I realized this was a fantastic resource of people."

When other business owners started to take notice and askMyrowichfor tips, that led to another venture: Myrowich Staffing Agency and the website Hire Ukrainian.

And it's headed up by Yurii Linov, amanMyrowichinitially hired forhis factory. As it turned out, that was mismatched for Linov's skills.

'Right guy in the wrong seat'

Before arriving in Winnipeg five months ago, Linov hada successful online clothing business in Ukraine that was expanding into Europe. But on the war's third day, Russian soldiers took overKherson,a port city of Ukraine, and destroyedLinov'sfactory.

"The next thing you know he's in Riverton working in my plant and, in talking to him, I realized he was the right guy in the wrong seat,"Myrowich said.

Linov had approachedMyrowichabout helping to sell and publicizeECBVerdyolproducts online, butMyrowichhad a better idea.

"I said to him, instead of selling my stuff online, why don't we start a staffing agency? So boom, he became my right-hand man in that business and he now runs it," Myrowichsaid.

"And he set up a Ukrainian website where Ukrainians can put in their resums. Business people can contact us and then we can do the matchmaking of getting the right Ukrainians into the right seats."

That opportunity has meant the world to Linov.

"Many people from Ukraine now don't have jobs and I said that if we can help, we must help," he said, recalling how grateful he was to land that initial job fromMyrowich.

"When you go to another country you don't know nothing. It a very, very good chance for me and I very appreciate Mark for this for me and my family."

Myrowichnow has 40 Ukrainians working for him 11 in the staffing agency and 29 in his manufacturing business.

"The people that are coming here, I have found, are trustworthy andextremely reliable.One thing I said to many of my staff is they have all the rights in the world to complain and they don't they're extremely thankful," he said.

Linovhas received several letters of thanks from Ukrainians after the agency helped themfindwork.

"It's 100 per cent that I feel that when I help people and our staff and agency help these people, we're very excited," he said.

He estimates nearly 100 people have been employed through the agency but his sights are set far higher.

"Our goal:10,000. It's our goal," Linov said. "I'm happy too that I can do that. Iknow how it's important to help, for first step in Canada, you know?

"When you have a job you can pay for apartments, you can find school for children.We understand, our agency, how it's important for our people."