When immigration policy collides with hiring reality...today, we're unpacking the true cost of the $100K H-1B visa fee, why mid-sized firms are being squeezed out, and how global labor trends are shaking up recruitment. It's not just about visas, it's about survival.

In this very raw and real episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with recruiting industry thought leader and brain behind Recruiting Brainfood, Hung Lee, to dissect the chaos surrounding U.S. immigration policy, especially the proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee. From the real-world impact on small and mid-sized staffing firms to the human toll on workers and families, this is a raw, insightful look at what happens when politics, business, and global talent collide.

• 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

• 00:40 Guest Introduction: Meet Hung

• 02:10 The Reality of Online Information

• 05:22 Challenges in the Job Market

• 07:04 H-1B Visa Controversy

• 08:58 Impact on Mid-Sized Companies

• 10:53 Ambiguity and Risk for H-1B Holders

• 19:50 Global Trends in Immigration Policies

• 25:14 Canada's Opportunity Amidst US Visa Issues

• 28:17 Challenges of Distributing Immigrants in Rural Areas

• 30:10 Personal Story: Encountering Racism in a Rural Pub

• 31:46 Economic Benefits of Immigrants

• 33:49 Political and Cultural Clashes in Immigration

• 34:38 Demographic Challenges and Economic Solutions

• 40:12 Impact of Political Decisions on Immigration

• 44:24 Adapting to a Volatile Global Environment

• 55:43 Final Thoughts and Advice

Favorite Quote:

"When the cost of labor rises, you don't always get paid more, the job might just vanish."

• Hung

Hung Lee is the Editor of leading industry newsletter Recruiting Brainfood.

He is an industry professional with over 20 years experience as an agency recruiter, Recruitment manager, Internal Head of Talent, recruitment trainer, founder of award winning online recruiting platform WorkShape.io, and now Editor and Community builder at Recruiting Brainfood - the best weekly newsletter in recruitment.

Hung lives and works in London.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunglee/

Website: http://www.recruitingbrainfood.com/

The Recruiting Brainfood Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3dFBspf9jXwpnJPLwSd72u

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.

What happens when the U.S. slaps a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas? Canadian staffing companies might just find themselves holding a golden opportunity. In this episode, Suky welcomes Michael Dha, founder of Strive Recruitment, to have a conversation about the real impact of immigration shifts, global talent mobility, and how Canada can turn geopolitical uncertainty into economic advantage.

With sweeping immigration changes, rising protectionism in the U.S., and housing and talent shortages mounting across Canada, staffing leaders are facing a new frontier. From immigration strategy and regional job placement challenges to shifting employer mindsets and the battle for diversity of thought, this very real conversation digs into the future of Canadian staffing, and why agencies must step up as true consultants, not just suppliers.

If you're in recruitment, HR, or workforce planning, especially in tech or healthcare, this episode is a must-listen.

• 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

• 00:40 Welcoming the Guest: Michael Dha

• 02:05 Discussion on Immigration and Staffing

• 07:45 Challenges and Opportunities in Canadian Tech Sector

• 12:28 Impact of H-1B Visa Changes on Canada

• 22:34 Mindset Shift Needed Among Employers

• 28:43 Navigating Discrimination Laws

• 29:19 Challenges for Recruitment Agencies

• 30:25 Building Trust with Clients

• 31:50 Educating Clients on Talent Market

• 37:37 Supporting New Immigrants

• 41:46 Advocating for Recruitment Agencies

• 44:29 Balancing Client and Candidate Needs

• 48:37 Diversity and Inclusion in Hiring

• 51:20 Final Thoughts on Canadian Economy

Favorite Quote:

"Imagine if Canada could attract the top 1% of global talent - tech, healthcare, engineering. What would that mean for our economy and for the next generation?"

• Michael

Michael Dha is the Founder and Managing Director of STRIVE Recruitment and has over 20 years of experience in the recruitment industry. He founded STRIVE in 2008, during the global recession, and built it into a trusted partner for top Canadian Organizations through two offices in BC and Ontario.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldha/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

Talent Titans is sponsored by Ascen. Ascen is an employer of record that helps staffing and recruitment agencies hire employees compliantly throughout the US and Canada. Ascen's all-in-one, white-label platform handles onboarding, timesheets, payroll, benefits, insurance, invoicing, and funding so you can grow quickly in the US and Canada without worrying about back office and paperwork. Visit ascen.com to learn more.

Get ready for an energizing behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming South African Staffing Summit on November 6th!

In this special episode of Talent Titans, we've got a live roundtable as host Suky is joined by co-presenters Jacqui Ford, Mark Coetzee, and Skhumbuzo Dlamini to dive into why the global staffing spotlight is shifting to South Africa.

We'll go behind the scenes of the 2025 South African Staffing Summit to discover the opportunities, challenges, and market realities that make this a not-to-be-missed moment for recruitment professionals. From skill shortages and economic shifts to game-changing recruitment models and global scalability, this episode unpacks it all. Whether you're scaling a staffing firm, expanding internationally, or looking to move beyond the contingency model, this is an essential episode.

To Purchase Tickets to the 2025 South African Staffing Summit: https://www.apsoevents.com

South African Staffing Summit Overview

Importance of Professional Bodies in Staffing

Tender Processes and Payment Terms

Client Panels and Listening to Clients

Business Owners Panel: Lessons and Collaborations

Favorite Quote:

"If you want growth and to be paid what you're worth, you have to believe you're good and prove it. Clients will pay, but not for the service you deliver today. They pay for what they experience."

• Suky

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

How do the job markets in Canada, the US, and South Africa really stack up against each other? The numbers are in...and they tell three very different stories.

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky is diving deep into the latest employment data from Canada, the United States, and South Africa, ahead of the summit in October, analyzing the stark differences and shared challenges in their labor markets. With new info from recent reports, including August 2025 job stats from North America and Q2 data from South Africa, we uncover surprising trends in part-time employment, youth unemployment, and the shifting strategies of businesses across the globe.

Plus, for South African companies eyeing international expansion, this episode offers a compelling case for why North America, despite recent slowdowns, remains a golden opportunity.

Canada's labor market slowdown: August 2025 numbers

The US employment situation: sharp shift in part-time jobs

South Africa's labor force challenges: Q2 2025 stats

Why North America still makes business sense for South African companies

The BPO boom: South Africa's value to international firms

Favorite Quote:

"Even with slowing job growth, the sheer size of these markets provides a scale of opportunity that really is unmatched."

• Suky

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

When Jason Bruckman posted "MSPs suck" on LinkedIn, the staffing world took notice. In this candid episode of Talent Titans, the CEO of Bold X Talent, Jason Bruckman, joins Suky to explain why he believes today's MSP model is broken and why it's failing clients, recruiters, and most of all, candidates. Suky challenges him head-on about whether MSPs are truly to blame or if clients themselves have created the problem through unrealistic expectations and razor-thin margins.

Together, they unpack how the MSP model has drifted from strategic partner to compliance traffic cop, what it takes to fix it, and why every stakeholder needs to refocus on candidate experience. Whether you're a client, an MSP, or a niche recruiter trying to break into big programs, this episode delivers a brutally honest look at what's gone wrong in staffing and how to build something better.

• Why Jason publicly called out MSPs as "sucking" in today's market

• The evolution of MSPs: from strategic advisor to compliance traffic cop

• Why clients, MSPs, recruiters, and especially candidates, are all losing right now

• What small, niche recruiters can do to get onto vendor lists

• Why fixing candidate experience should be every stakeholder's top priority

Favorite Quote:

"Right now, it's lose-lose-lose. The candidate is losing. The recruiter is losing. The client is losing. And the MSP? They're barely hanging on. If we don't fix this model, there won't be many MSPs left."

• Jason

Jason Bruckman is a recruitment leader with 25 years of experience, trusted advisor, investor, and AI enthusiast with a passion for backing innovative startups. He helps organizations accelerate growth by building high-performing teams, activating executive referral networks, and advising on talent strategy and go-to-market execution. Deeply engaged with the future of work, Jason explores how AI is transforming recruiting and workforce development. His approach combines strategic insight with hands-on leadership, guiding companies to scale efficiently and create lasting competitive advantage.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-bruckman-2454794/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

"If someone's uncomfortable with AI, do you really want them on your team?" In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky dives into the rapid evolution of AI in recruitment with Grady Gardner, GM of Braintrust. From improving hiring accuracy to reducing recruiter burnout, this episode goes into detail about how AI-powered interviews are transforming the talent landscape and why resistance may cost companies their best hires.

AI is no longer just a buzzword in recruitment, it's becoming a critical part of efficient, fair, and scalable hiring. Grady shares the journey of Braintrust, how AI-powered conversational assessments are revolutionizing the candidate experience, and why hiring teams must adapt quickly to keep up. Suky and Grady also tackle bias, language accessibility, soft skills, and what talent leaders can expect over the next 12 months. This is a must-listen for anyone in talent acquisition, staffing, or HR tech.

• How AI-powered interviews and assessments are changing the game

• Humanizing AI in candidate experience

• Reducing bias in hiring processes with AI

• The future of talent acquisition and AI

Favorite Quote:

"We're not trying to remove people from the process, we're trying to make sure they actually see the right people."

• Grady

Grady is is the GM of Braintrust, the largest user owned talent network revolutionizing hiring with Braintrust AIR, the world's first and only end-to-end AI recruiting platform.

Trained with human insights and proprietary data, Braintrust AIR reduces time to hire from months to days, instantly matching you with pre-vetted qualified candidates, and conducting the first round interview for you. Trusted by hundreds of Fortune 1000 enterprises including Nestlé, Porsche, Atlassian, Goldman Sachs, and Nike, Braintrust AIR is making talent acquisition professionals 100x more effective and saving companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in recruiting costs.

Grady has led the client-facing teams at Braintrust since inception, growing the network from a stealth mode startup to generating over $335M in revenue. Grady built the network's go-to-market strategy and secured partnerships with leading Fortune 1000 companies like Google, Bank of America, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Spotify, Walmart and many more.

Prior to building Braintrust, Grady spent much of his career leading enterprise sales teams within the traditional IT service companies like Concentrix, ServiceSource, and Convergys.

Grady is a proud graduate of Colorado State University and resides in Denver with his wife, son Sunny, and chickens.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gradygardner/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

AI won't replace your job...yet. But the gap between tech and adoption just might. In this episode of Talent Titans, Travis O'Rourke, President of Hays Canada, reveals what most companies misunderstand about AI, Canada's immigration missteps, and why throwing more people at a problem is killing productivity.

From the dangers of relying solely on immigration to fill skill gaps, to why most leaders aren't ready for the real impact of AI, Travis breaks down the urgent challenges facing recruitment and business today. Suki and Travis explore the productivity crisis in Canada, the stigma around trades, and how agency models must evolve to stay relevant. Whether you're running a staffing agency or leading teams, this one is filled with hard truths and smarter strategies.

• Why AI won't eliminate jobs as quickly as headlines suggest

• Canada's immigration vs. skill development strategy: Where it's going wrong

• Why staffing companies must evolve from "bodies" to "solutions"

• Leadership truths: When being liked and being effective don't align

• How to structure failure and why quitting sooner saves more than ego

Favorite Quote:

"If people have to leave your company to live the life they want, buy a house, start a family, you don't have a revenue problem. You have a leadership problem."

• Travis

Travis setup and established Hays' outsourced talent solutions business and played an integral role in building Hays' temporary and contract divisions throughout Canada. Initially joining Hays with a deep background in Technology, he holds extensive cross functional knowledge to provide clients with talent solutions in Financial Services, Energy, Mining, Manufacturing, Retail, and the Public Sector.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisorourke/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

Is loyalty dead in the job market—or are candidates just hugging their jobs out of fear?

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Tracey Both, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at the Mirillion Group (and Suky's best friend!), to decode what's actually happening in today's hiring landscape. From the rise of AI in recruitment to the return-to-office push, Tracey shares honest, data-driven insights on how both candidates and companies can thrive in a shifting economy.

This episode covers the new rules of talent attraction and retention, including the rise of "job hugging," the death of outdated job search habits, and what candidates truly value beyond salary. Whether you're a hiring manager looking to stand out in a tight market or a job seeker navigating a changing landscape, this episode delivers the roadmap for you.

• AI's impact on hiring and candidate experience

• Job hugging vs. job hopping: a post-pandemic shift

• Why "loyalty" looks different in 2025

• The top 3 non-negotiables for today's candidates

• What's next: AI-to-AI hiring and the need for human oversight

Favorite Quote:

"Low personalization equals low impact. In today's job market, clarity, authenticity, and human connection win, every time."

• Tracey

A seasoned recruitment professional, Tracey chose to leave the large, global recruitment firms behind to build a forward-thinking, people-first firm that believes that relations comes first. Thoughtful, yet direct, Tracey brings transparency, responsiveness and a little bit of humour to her client and candidate relationships.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyboth/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

What happens when an engineer trades blueprints for building talent?

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Elaine Daniels, founder of Oakdale Consulting, whose journey from project coordinator on major infrastructure builds to talent strategist and entrepreneur is anything but linear. Elaine shares how she discovered that behind every successful project is a deeper story, one about people, purpose, and the power of asking better questions.

Elaine tells us how her logical, engineering-trained mindset clashed (and eventually evolved) within the unpredictable world of recruitment and HR. She reveals how storytelling became her most effective hiring tool, why internal teams often struggle with time-to-fill, and how she transitioned into building a sourcing-focused agency rooted in deep industry understanding. Whether you're in talent acquisition, leading a team, or thinking of going out on your own, this conversation offers real conversation into how values, not just strategy, drive long-term success in recruitment.

• Elaine's three career pivots: engineering to HR to staffing entrepreneur

• How project experience shaped her understanding of talent needs

• Misalignment between internal hiring processes and actual talent goals

• Common gaps in hiring strategy and candidate communication

• Entrepreneurship lessons: structure, planning, and self-leadership

Favorite Quote:

"Projects need people and people want to work on projects, so how do I bring all that together?"

• Elaine

Elaine Daniels is the Founder and Managing Principal of Oakdale Consulting, specializing in executive sourcing and recruitment strategies for the engineering and infrastructure sectors. With more than 30 years of experience across construction, project management, human resources, and recruitment, Elaine brings a rare 360° perspective to building high-performing teams in the consulting engineering industry.

Her career has evolved through three major shifts in response to changing economic landscapes. She began in construction and project management, supporting large commercial and heavy industrial projects as a project administrator and coordinator. In 1999, she transitioned into human resources, where she advanced from recruitment specialist to HR manager and ended her corporate career leading a North American talent acquisition team. This journey gave her a deep understanding of employee relations, workforce planning, and the critical link between talent strategy and business performance.

In 2017, Elaine retired from Hatch, launching Oakdale Consulting in 2018. Today, she partners with construction and consulting engineering firms to deliver executive sourcing solutions that help organizations identify, engage, and secure the leadership talent needed to drive growth and deliver on complex projects.

Elaine is also deeply committed to advancing globally diverse talent. She has collaborated with organizations such as the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, and ACCES, facilitating workshops for internationally educated professionals. She believes their diverse experiences bring innovation, resilience, and new perspectives that strengthen Canada's workforce.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainedaniels/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

What happens when a top-tier recruitment leader leaves a legacy company to build his own? Gillon from Penta Search Group shares the raw truth behind scaling a global niche firm, building real trust, and why integrity always wins.

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suki sits down with Gillon, founder of Penta Search Group, to explore his journey from recruitment leader to successful entrepreneur in the supply chain and manufacturing space. With over two decades of experience, Gillon opens up about the real challenges of launching a firm just before the pandemic, how deep sector expertise gave his company a competitive edge, and why trust-based leadership and deliberate hiring are core to his company's success.

From working remotely to global expansion plans, this episode is packed with lessons for agency owners, recruiters, and business builders alike.

• Why deep functional and sectoral expertise matters in recruitment

• Building a credible brand from scratch

• Trust and long-term client relationships in a niche market

• Hiring experienced professionals in a remote-first world

• Creating a culture of autonomy, accountability, and performance

• Predictions on AI's impact in supply chain recruitment

Favorite Quote:

"You can't just parachute a supply chain director from one company into another and expect it to work. True expertise comes from understanding both the function and the industry nuances."

• Gillon

Gillon Tadman is President & Managing Partner of Penta Search Group Inc. and has over 20 years executive recruiting experience gained in European, Canadian, US and LATAM markets.

Gillon is recognized as a subject matter expert in this field and has worked for both big name recruitment brands and smaller specialist executive search companies, enabling him to bring a best of breed approach to the market.

Gillon has also held several senior leadership and board-level positions within recruitment and executive search organizations and has led complex specialist search teams across multiple countries and locations.

As President & Managing Partner of Penta Search Group, Gillon has responsibility for the strategic direction and overall growth of the business, as well as taking a lead role in client engagement and business development.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillontadman/

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com