Research Library

Understanding Job Status Decline among Newcomers to Canada

Abstract
Problems related to the recognition of skills and education acquired by immigrants abroad and their ability to translate them into similar work and income in Canada are well-known. This paper attempts to quantify, insofar as possible the mismatch between education and skills attained abroad by comparing pre-arrival and post-arrival job statuses amongst newcomers to Canada who have been in the country for five years or less. Our results reveal that there is, in fact, a significant decline in job status for newcomers, which is influenced by province of residence, place of education attainment, and length of time in Canada.
Authors: Lori Wilkinson,Pallabi Bhattacharyya,Jill Bucklaschuk,Jack Shen,Iqbal A. Chowdhury,Tamara Edkins Publication Date: 1/1/2016

Publication Type: Journal Article

URL:https://muse.jhu.edu/article/652605
Notes

Key recommendations

Call to recognition of foreign education and skills

Key findings

Visible minority immigrants are significantly more likely to experience difficulty finding work because of a lack of Canadian experience.

Over 50 percent of immigrants experience job status decline after their arrival in Canada.

Newcomers also experience racism is embedded within the Canadian labour market.

The idea that inferior education and/or lack of English or French language proficiency are the major factors that account for the lower labour market returns of recently arrived immigrants is not supported by evidence.

Gaps identified

NA

Community organizations

NA

Location

Alberta, Saskatchewan, BC, Manitoba

Key populations

Newcomers

Integration timeline

At what point during the integration process the study was conducted?

newly arrived immigrants, defined as those arriving in Canada five years ago or less

Open-access – No


Publisher: Canadian Ethnic Studies Association
Collections education-students-teachers , employment , refugee-experiences , resettlement-integration

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