My employer can't find enough qualified IT staff, and has to import them from China, Russia, Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the Middle East.

The RayGun (SDI aka starwars makes Reagan RayGun to me) / Thatcher / Lying Brian Mulrony Junk Bonds and 20% Interest Rate Depression was deeper in Canada than the more recent Dubbya Subprime Mortgage Depression spill over, but "Computing Canada" had articles mentioning that outside Toronto there was full employment and a shortage of IT staff. When times are tough automation and process improvement are more important than ever for Government and for Businesses that are still above water. Computing Canada had snarky remarks about the umemplyed Toronto IT folks, implying that they either didn't have what it takes or were unable to relocate because they were locked into negative equity mortgages in the GTA.

With Internet of Things Data and Network "exploding" Security has even more unfilled openings than IT in general.