Job hunting difficulties are forcing Canadian newcomers to downgrade on careers

Immigrants move to Canada for a chance at a better or more peaceful life. They also move for the future of their children. But, recent unfortunate events have shown an increase in immigrants reporting the struggle they are encountering. They are finding it difficult to get jobs with prior labor experience and qualifications.

As a child of an immigrant myself, I understand the sacrifices my mother had to endure. She was underemployed upon arriving in Canada. She did this just to make ends meet for the sake of her children. I can also attest from my experience. Qualifications from my home country, Botswana, lie collecting dust in my storage. This is not for lack of trying.

According to Statistics Canada, over 34% of immigrants in the past 10 years are in low-skilled jobs. These immigrants were selected for the country due to their higher education and skills. The burning question remains. What obstacles are blocking the path for these skilled workers? What is preventing them from contributing professionally to their new homeland?

Pooran Appadu was accepted into the Master’s program in Bio-Resource Engineering in 2014. He was a transfer student to the University of Alberta from Guyana. He has been working as a research assistant there since he completed his bachelor’s degree. With a soaring GPA of 4.0 and alluring references from his professors, he completed his Master’s program in 2017 with hopes of becoming a scientist. After countless attempts left him demotivated, those dreams were soon forced to halt.

“It was tough; I applied to many places but received standard rejections without interviewing.”

Some jobs in his field demanded a PhD. He specifically did not pursue it for the sole reason of struggling to find a job. He decided that the industry does not have enough job prospects. From experience, he knew that higher qualifications will not guarantee him a job. They will only get him deeper in debt with the expensive international student tuition.

He remained working in the University’s research department as an assistant. He had an unlivable stipend of $19,000 a year. In his opinion, it was very exploitative. He found a job at Subway restaurants as a sandwich artist. This was only after he removed the over-qualified aspects from his resume. Pooran worked his way from the restaurant staff into the company’s corporate ladder. Opportunities started to open up for him from there.

Thato Larona Tau is a Motswana expat. She relocated to Canada in 2015 after completing her advanced diploma in Human Resource management. This diploma and her new environment symbolized a key to a better life and opportunities. She was not prepared for the hardship she was soon exposed to. She spent a few months applying for jobs in the field and getting constantly rejected. This demotivated her, and she started questioning her choice to move. Her friends and classmates back home had comfortable careers, while she had yet to see the inside of an office.

She knew she had to start making money because she couldn’t live off her savings forever. Eventually, she swallowed her pride. She applied for a minimum wage job at McDonald’s. She stayed there and paid her tuition for a pharmacy assistant certificate at ABM College in Edmonton. She recently graduated and is relieved now that the job market looks promising.

Most Canadian immigrants often see their job-hunting struggles as a sign to change careers. They pursue a post-education level in Canada. Nevertheless, this is not always the case. Some programs in the country aim to help those with prior experience and qualifications. These programs help them integrate into the Canadian work culture and find jobs in their industries. The Rural Roots program with the Rural Development Network is a Work Integrated Learning program. It matches employers across Canada with innovative talent.

Daniela Seiferling, the program manager for Work Integrated Learning, says her job is to connect rural employers. She also connects businesses with student talent. In the end, employers get their projects completed. Students also gain work experience. This program initially started as a pilot project during the COVID pandemic. A lot of businesses were coping with the changes of the pandemic. They were also incapable of recruiting or retaining people. The program has now bridged the gap between employers and employees.

Deborah Movoria is the Communications and events planning specialist for the WIL at Rural Development Network. She expressed that, as a newcomer herself, integrating into the Canadian workforce was and still is a tedious process. But it does not invalidate prior experience and qualifications. She says that for a newcomer, the aim is to transfer the skill set and qualifications from your home country to the Canadian work culture. That is when Rural Roots steps in. They help newcomers get work experience through internships and resume updates.

“Canadian employers can’t verify clearly that the references gained from a newcomer’s work country are valid, so Rural Roots programs help Canadian newcomers build credibility in Canada and helps build character and knowledge of the Canadian workforce”

Seiferling further elaborates that they manage two streams that help newcomers. The first is the Rural Roots program for undergraduates. The second is the ready-to-work program. It serves any newcomer to Canada and does not need enrollment in any post-secondary institution to get access. The latter, being the latest edition, will continue to expand to more coverage.

The two concluded that, going ahead, their goal is to make sure people know it is possible to continue building their careers. Additionally, they want to build awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion. People do not need to start from scratch. Employers need to understand that although foreign, the qualifications newcomers bring are valid and relevant.

First published on my earlier portfolio site on September 8, 2024.