Causes Of Newcomers Unemployment In Canada

Causes Of Newcomers Unemployment In Canada

by Imam Uddin

Canada needs skilled immigrants to fulfill its labour shortage, population growth and economic well-being, but newcomers to Canada continue to experience high rates of unemployment. Every year more than 200,000 people come to Canada from all over the world with big hopes and expectations. After coming here newcomers face various challenges to settle and integrate which really upset them. The biggest disappointment is the job market. Although newcomers migrate to Canada with high expectations of leading a better life, they face the challenges of unemployment because of language barriers, non-recognition of foreign credentials and lack of Canadian work experience.

Lack of English language proficiency is one of the main barriers to employment for most of the newcomers. It may also lead to loss of confidence, depression, and withdrawal. According to the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, “it is the most significant obstacle to success in the labour market as perceived by recent immigrants”. Many newcomers can not utilize their knowledge and expertise because of their low English proficiency.  Lack of English language proficiency may be interpreted as poor communication resulting in interview failure and limited social networking for job search. Usually newcomers think that their English is sufficient. After arriving in Canada, they immediately start looking for job in their occupation; however, many begin to realize that for skilled jobs, their language is not good enough.

In addition, it is very difficult for newcomers to find and maintain employment due to the lack of English language proficiency. It is true that most of the newcomers bring positive working habits such as; a strong work habit and loyalty to the new workplace. However, sometimes they may not be able to maintain their employment because of misunderstanding and differences in workplace culture and practices such as; working relationships with co-workers, team work and miscommunication at work for those with a low language proficiency in English.

In the same way non-recognition of foreign credentials is another barrier to newcomers finding employment. Education is one of the assets newcomers bring to Canada. It is difficult and expensive for newcomers with professional backgrounds to have their education and experience evaluated and recognized. According to Statistics Canada, newcomers experience a higher rate of unemployment compared to native Canadians and within four years after landing in Canada, only 28% of newcomers with foreign credentials had received recognition for these credentials.

In fact, the majority of the internationally trained professionals face special challenges in their search for meaningful employment in their former field. For example, many of them encounter the dilemma of requiring licensing before being considered for employment in their profession, but they are unable to apply for any form of license until they obtain experience within Canada. Many professions are strongly regulated in Canada and foreign trades or training skills are not recognized here in different sectors. Sometimes employers either undermine overseas qualifications or hire the person at a much lower salary. Most training institutions do not have programs customized to meet the needs of internationally trained professionals or skills trade workers for skills upgrading. According to Boyd and Thomas, a majority of newcomers are highly educated but non-recognition of foreign credentials by employers, professional bodies and training institutes can lead to an underutilization of the ‘human capital’ of many newcomers who were selected for their skills, work experience and other socio-demographic characteristics.

Another obstacle to success in the labour market as perceived by newcomers is lack of Canadian experience. Canada needs a bigger labour force of skilled talent. Most were welcomed into this country because their transferable skills and international work experience were considered assets to Canada. However, newcomers face barriers regarding the recognition of their previous work experience. Many newcomers seem to need Canadian work experience on their résumé in order to find a suitable job, but in their first stages in Canada they encounter difficulties finding a job to gain this experience. As a result, newcomers often identify Canadian work experience as the biggest barrier to finding work in their profession in Canada. Statistics Canada reported that between 1991 and 2006, the proportion of immigrants with a university degree in jobs with low educational requirements such as clerks, truck drivers, sales persons, cashiers, and taxi drivers increased. Even after being in Canada for fifteen years, immigrants with a university degree are still more likely than the native-born to be in low-skilled jobs.

In conclusion, finding employment is one of the biggest challenges for newcomers. The job market is very competitive. Many professions are strongly regulated in Canada and require specific education and training which is really difficult for most of the newcomers to meet. In addition, employers prefer Canadian work experience and strong communication skills in their hiring process. The majority of the newcomers have education and experience, but when they are refused for Canadian work experience, poor communication skills or credentials, it surprises and shocks them. Canada needs skilled immigrants to achieve its productivity goals, economic strength and increase population, but newcomers continue to face unemployment challenges because of poor language skills, non-acknowledgment of overseas credentials and experiences.

Imam Uddin is the board president of Bengali Information and Employment Services (BIES), based in Toronto.