Challenges that skilled newcomers to Canada may have when trying to integrate into this Country. Tips to obtain a job in Canada

1. SKILLED NEWCOMERS TO CANADA
WHAT TO EXPECT, WHAT TO DO
Jose Laredo June 2013

2. “But then I came to the conclusion that no, while there may
be an immigration problem, it isn't really a serious problem.
The really serious problem is assimilation.”
Samuel P. Huntington quotes USA, 1821‐1900
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3. Content
 Introduction
 Reasons for immigration
 How are immigrants performing in their new environment
 Labour market: two sides of the story
 What is behind the scenes?
 About the culture
 Ok, there are issues in finding a job, what can you do?
 Conclusion
 Annex ‐ Job search method used by Canadian born and Immigrants
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4. Introduction
The purpose of this presentation is to provide prospective or recent skilled newcomers with an
overview of the problems they may face when trying to find a job in Canada, and to give some
advice on how to overcome some of these challenges. It is mainly oriented to those people who
have no relatives, friends or connections in this country. In other words, for those who are willing
to start a "new" life in a new environment.
The decision to migrate is not an easy one, and as you will see in the following slides, the
integration process could be harder than you expect. I believe that getting informed and
prepared before coming to Canada is a must. A lack of planning could result in a high price to pay.
How fast/slow you succeed in your goals will be based on many decisions you have to make
during your adaptation journey in your new country. Here you will find information and
knowledge obtained through experience that could help speed up your professional life in
Canada. There is no easy path to integrate you in a new reality, but with good attitude and
perseverance you can make it. You and your close ones may receive the benefits and rewards.
If you need to obtain more information about this topic, refer to the citations mentioned
throughout the presentation.
Note: Skilled newcomer/newcomer in this presentation is based on CIC's definition of "Economic Class Immigrants". It includes
people selected as permanent residents for their skills and ability to contribute to Canada's economy such as skilled workers,
business people and provincial nominees (CIC, 2004)
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5. Canada’s reasons to promote
immigration
1. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are retiring; they need to be replaced
2. Aging population: in 1971 there were 6.6 people/senior, in 2036 there could be 2:1
3. Need of skilled workforce for a knowledge economy
4. High‐skilled immigrants — are great for innovation.
5. Diversity generates economic advantage
6. Newcomers may expand international trades both ways
7. immigrant workers are more willing to move to find work than native‐born workers
8. Motivation to succeed and to obtain achievements for themselves and for their offspring
9. Immigrants attract more foreign investment
10. Children of immigrants obtain more educational attainments than Canadian‐born
Source: Rethinking Immigration – The Globe and Mail ‐ May 4, 2012
Conference Board of Canada Report October 2010 – Immigrants as innovators
J.Reitz, H.Zhang, N.Hawkins, 2011, “Comparisons of the success of racial minority immigrant offspring in the United
States, Canada and Australia
Canada requires highly‐educated, highly‐skilled immigrants each year to meet labour demand or to fill skills gaps
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6. Immigrants want to move to Canada
Reasons to move
Family reunification
Provide better life for children
Economic conditions
Desired lifestyle
Educational opportunities
Etc..
Personal Country’s reputation
Health Care
Economy
Immigrants are well accepted
Safe place, low levels of crime
Immigration rules are not stringent
Citizenship (and passport) after some years
Corruption free environment
Peace and political stability
Etc..
Potential immigrants are positive about their new life in Canada
Source: Immigrants’ perspectives on their first four years in Canada – Statistics Canada
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7. How are immigrants performing in
their new environment?
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8. Skilled immigrants arrive every year …
8
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Skilled Imm. Total
By 2010, about 66% of immigrants arrive to Canada in the category of skilled immigrants; 22% are in the family class,
9% are refugees, and 3% in other categories
156,312
138,251
131,244 149,071
153,458
186,917
156,118 160,617
262,241
257,515
236,754 252,124
Despite the global recession in 2008, the number of immigrants has increased in the last years. The immigration
system may be slow to adjust the number of people required in the labor market
Source: Citizenship and Immigration
about 20% of Canadians were born outside of the country
Every day approx. 705 immigrants arrive to Canada, 564 have a university degree, and 440 of them are skilled
newcomers (62% of the total). About 25% of Canadian‐born people have university degrees.

9. Most immigrants face hardships when arriving
“Nearly half of poor immigrants living in Canada are those who have come as skilled workers”.
“These days, university‐educated newcomers earn an average of 67 per cent of their Canadian‐born,
university‐educated counterparts”.
Tamsin McMahon – MacLean’s Magazine Wednesday, April 24, 2013
“The hundreds of thousands of immigrants who arrive in Canada each year could all tell variations of
this story. It's a kind of ‘Canadian dream’ ‐ that the suffering of the first generation will be worth it
because of the success of the next…work experience is discounted by a factor of almost 70 per cent by
employers in Canada's labour market”
Ratna Omidvar ‐ The Globe and Mail. Aug. 04 2010
“Over the past three decades the labour market outcomes of immigrants to Canada have declined. Many
recent arrivals have had difficulty finding employment, and earnings have gone down, particularly among
men. Research has shown that there is no single explanation for this decline”
Gartner Picot & Arthur Sweetman – Making it in Canada, April 2012
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10. % of Employment and salaries of university
educated newcomers
New immigrants: have higher unemployment rates, are under‐employed, or
earn less than Canadian born workers
Source: “Labour market outcomes of immigrants by educational attainment, gender and age” York University ‐ TIEDI
Analytical Report #16 ‐ http://www.yorku.ca/tiedi/pubreports.html
Unemployment rate
10
Salary per year

11. % People in relevant employment by country of
study
Source: TIEDI Analytical Report 14, Dec. 2010, York University, “Are degrees/ diplomas from inside and
outside of Canada valued differently in the labour market?”
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12. Labour market: two sides of the story
12

13. Skilled newcomers struggle to find
professional jobs
“We find evidence of a glass ceiling (barrier that limits access to high‐wage jobs) in the spirit of Albrecht et al (2003) for older and
more educated visible minority men in comparison with similar white men” ‐ Krishna Pendakur and R. Pendakur1, Simon Fraser
University, BC, Canada, 2009
There is extensive literature about the multiple difficulties that immigrants have when trying
to find professional jobs:
“Newcomers to Canada are more likely to be in precarious employment. People in precarious employment face a very different set
of working conditions compared to those in SER (standard employment relationship). Many are in contract jobs and temporary
positions, working irregular hours or on‐call. Many piece together year‐round, full‐time hours by working for multiple employers.
They often lack supplemental health benefits to cover unexpected expenses and have to rely on their own savings to fund
retirement” McMaster University – United Way Toronto, “It’s more than poverty”, 2013
"Highly educated immigrants are arriving in Canada with the promise of good employment ..instead, they are experiencing a
severe transition penalty in the form of low‐paying jobs, often with inadequate protections. This is a cycle that stretches into
unsatisfactory employment for years and can eventually result in long‐term economic hardship” ," Cecilia Diocson Workplace
Rights for Immigrants in BC: The Case of Filipino Workers, 2007
“The immigrant household median income in Canada is in the top half of OECD countries but its level is 21% lower than the
native‐born one (compared with ‐21% across OECD countries). 23% of persons living in an immigrant household live with income
below the poverty line, compared with an average of 17% across OECD countries.” Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development ‐ http://www.oecd.org/migration/integrationindicators/keyindicatorsbycountry/name,219003,en.htm
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14. Barriers in Canada… according to newcomers
Source: TD Bank Report, 2012 “Knocking Down Barriers Faced By New Immigrants To Canada”
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15. However, employers don’t find people to hire…
There are some jobs that are hard to fill: technicians (in engineering, computer science, health),
medical professions, skilled trades, engineers
Source: Canadian Business, “Canadian Unemployment rates” Apr 18, 2013
“Skills shortages will continue to exist in certain industries and regions, but not enough to jeopardize the entire economy”
HRSDC study.
Source: Peter Cappelli – Why good people can’t get jobs
Difficulty by country
15

16. Employers’ barriers to competitiveness: skills
shortages is included
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce mentioned that there are 10 top barriers to competiveness:
skills shortages , barriers to world markets for energy products, Inadequate workforce productivity,
inadequate public infrastructure planning, tax complexity, poor innovation performance, need to
trade in new markets, internal barriers to trade, uncompetitive travel and tourism strategies, and lack
of access to capital.
“The labour market is affected by a demographic shift resulting in retirements and a growing
mismatch between the skills needed and those available. By one estimate, the skills shortfall by 2016
will be exacerbated by almost 550,000 unskilled workers who will not qualify for skilled vacancies that
will exist . That number could double to over one million by 2021”
Regarding skills shortages:
Source: Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Tackling the Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness – 2013.
Booklet_Top_10_Barriers_2013.pdf
Companies say that they don’t have enough workers: “The story is the same across much of Alberta,
where small and mid‐sized businesses – already struggling to compete with the province’s oil and gas
sector for workers ”
Source: The Globe and Mail, April 30, 2013 – “Business’s cross‐Canada lament: We need foreign workers”
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17. So, what factors go into obtaining a job?
As a newcomer, your influence in companies’ culture, or the society is very limited, and your job prospects depends on
the number of applicants and jobs available in the labour market.
Personal
capital
Company’s
culture
Society, Economy, External
factors
JOB
Immigrants and Canadian‐ born have an issue when trying to find jobs in Canada. There is a labour market that
balances the supply and demand in any job category.
However, newcomers are at disadvantage: qualifications, education, and experience may be different to
Canadian standards. Newcomers need to prove that they are up to these standards
Source: McLeans – April 24, 2013 “Why the world’s best and brightest struggle to find jobs in Canada”
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18. What’s behind the scenes?
“ Value, by definition, is the transference of trust. You can't convince someone you have value, just as
you can't convince someone to trust you. You have to earn trust by communicating and demonstrating
that you share the same values and beliefs.” Simon Sinek, “Start with Why”
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19. Your human capital is influenced by …
Culture
You
LanguageEducation
In a new environment, other factors than your education or work history are important. To have chances of getting a job you may
need to have cultural skills and specific experience required in the market. Prioritizing the development of hard skills may not be
the correct approach.
English
proficiency
Tone,
timing
Canadian
idioms
License
Updated
knowledge
Credentials
Cultural IQ
Cultural
background
Work history
Achievements
Industry
Position
Skills
Degree(s)
Contacts
Personality
Support
Funds
Family
Other
Country of
origin
Ethnicity
Last Name
Age Body language
Pitch,
loudness
Professional
Country
mates
Work
mates
Others
Friends
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
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20. English proficiency and tacit knowledge of
Canadian behaviour are key for companies
Culture
Company
Language
Education
There is a minimum of hard skills required for a position. For regulated professions, credentials is a must. Language and
experience in Canada are the most important factors for companies..
Communicate
Accent
Credentials
Referrals
Canadian values
Salary
Work history
Industry
Position
Skills
Personality
Experience in Canada
Previous
job positions
Culturally fit for
workplace
Industry
Personal Mgmt skills
Izumi Sakamoto “Canadian Experience Employment Challenges, and Skilled Immigrants”
Philip Oreopoulos (2011), “Why do some employers prefer to interview Matthew, but not Samir?”
The Conference Board of Canada – “Employability Skills – What are employers looking for?”
Team work skills
ThinkLicense
Continuous learner
Source:
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21. Plus: employers look for someone who does
the same job anywhere else
1. To hire someone who has experience in the position they need to fill in.
2. Someone who has been trained in the job position and industry
3. Loyal employees that are willing to stay several years
4. Young, energetic, positive workers
5. To attract someone who is already employed
6. Technologically savvy and continuous learner
7. Whenever possible not to hire anyone and assign these duties to other ones
The economic situation after the 2008 crisis has forced companies to look for efficiency, innovation, and low
cost; so they may want:
Also, there is a huge pool of applicants, so employers find different ways to screen in candidates:
1. Job descriptions
2. Tracking software for resumes
3. Interviews that focus on behavioural traits
4. Assessment of (over) qualifications
5. Salary offers
There could be 100s applicants for a job posting. So, if a person can't find a job, it’s not because his/her lack of skills; companies want best
value for money: good skills, good person, no training required, and at market salary (or below)
Source: Peter Cappelli – Why good people can’t get jobs ‐ The Skills Gap and What Companies Can Do About It
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22. and what’s the role of the Government?
“A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out”, Tony Blair
“Despite having a much greater proportion of immigrants in its population than other Western countries, Canada is far
more open to, and optimistic about, immigration than its counterparts in Europe and the United States … This national
ethos is supported by government policies of multiculturalism, anti‐discrimination laws, and settlement programs that
promote integration through public‐private partnerships. Such initiatives are mostly about helping migrants find jobs
and integrate into society, not about instilling a set of cultural norms and values”
1. What are those professions and trades that Canadian companies need to thrive in the global market?
2. What are those skills that immigrants should have to succeed in Canada?
3. How to forecast the labour demand of skilled workers (permanent, temporary) in specific fields and according
to economic cycles?
4. What is the appropriate level of immigration to achieve short and long term economic goals?
5. How to motivate immigration to different regions and not only big cities?
6. How much does immigration increase/decrease the economic well‐being of the society?
7. Etc..
The purpose of the Government is to create wealth for all residents and citizens regardless of where they
were born. Economic growth is driven by the three 'P's – population, participation and productivity.
Immigration as part of the population policy is a complex subject; there are many “angles” that need to be
taken into consideration; some of them are:
Garnett Picot & Arthur Sweetman, Making it Canada – Immigration Outcomes and Policies, 2012
Irene Bloemraad – Understanding Canadian Exceptionalism in immigration and pluralism policy – U. of California, 2012
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23. About the Culture
"Recognize yourself in he and she who are not like you and me”, Carlos Fuentes
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24. Be aware of the integration process
Your integration in Canada will take time, and it can be represented in the charts:
Canadian Culture
Keep Heritage
‐ +
+
IntegratedSeparated
AssimilatedMarginalized
Source: Berry, J.W. (2011). “Integration and Multiculturalism: Ways towards
Social Solidarity” Papers on Social Representations Page 5 Volume 20
Culture can be defined as the shared beliefs and values of a group of people; our learned way of living.
“Culture rules virtually every aspect of our life and like most people, we are completely unaware of this. … Culture is
vital because it enables its members to function with one another without the need to negotiate meaning at every
moment. Culture is learned and forgotten, so despite its importance we are generally unconscious of its influence on the
manner in which we perceive the world and interact within it. Culture is significant because as we work with others it
both enables us and impedes us in our ability to understand and work effectively together” www.intercultures.gc.ca
Perceived Competence
Source: Guilherme Pires (2006). Improving expatriate adjustment and
effectiveness in ethnically diverse countries: marketing insights
Canadian Culture
Keep Heritage
‐ +
+
MulticulturalMelting Pot
ExclusionExclusion
Intercultural strategies in ethno‐cultural groups, and the larger society
"To be culturally intelligent requires embracing the spirit of the chameleon”
Rasheed Joseph‐Young, Thesis Cultural Intelligence and Global Business Leadership, 2009
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25. Becoming culturally competent
Your cultural learning process starts with the ability to communicate/interact competently in different situations and also in
learning and using appropriate behaviours
Source: Thomas Vulpe – Canadian Foreign Service Institute, “A profile of the inter‐culturally effective person”
Adaptation skills
An attitude of modesty and respect
Understanding the concept of culture
Knowledge of Canada
Relationship‐building
What is an inter‐culturally effective person? It is someone who is able to “live contentedly and work
successfully in another culture”
There are three main attributes to be culturally effective:
1. Have the ability to communicate with people of another culture in a way that earns their respect and
trust, thereby encouraging a cooperative and productive workplace that is conducive to the
achievement of professional or assignment goals
2. Adapt your professional skills (both technical and managerial) to fit local conditions and constraints
3. Adjust personally so that s/he is content and generally at ease in the host culture.
How to do that? You need to work on:
Knowledge of yourself
Intercultural communication
Organizational skills
Personal and professional commitment
Note: To see how culture can influence the way we think, check “What’s a good plan? Louise Rasmussen – Applied Research Associates
(http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/265858/1/JCEDM_Rasmussen_et_al.pdf)
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26. How to learn about Canadian Culture?
Obviously, the best option to learn the Canadian culture is to be physically present in the country. To
start learning this culture you need to be aware of the differences, adjust your behaviour to what is
accepted here, and find your comfort zone when interacting with others.
26
Before coming, one possible way to observe Canadian cultural traits is by watching videos on the
internet. Observe and compare TV commercials or humor programs with your original country. Check
the implicit beliefs, relationships, small talk, emotions, value of time, gender roles, authorities,
conversation topics, etiquette, body language, attires, communications, etc. For example, search and
watch videos – “I am Canadian(s), The Canadians, Canadian Stereotypes or Canadian Culture” ‐ and
compare them with products/people/ads in different countries. You may also watch “Just for Laughs” to
see how people behave on the streets, or watch Russell Peters who jokes on cultural groups and
stereotypes in Canada
Notice that Canada is a multicultural country, so try to avoid generalizations or stereotypes. People may
have a common culture but there are variations in regions/ cities of the country.
There are limited courses about cultural adaptation in Universities and they are more oriented to foreign
graduate students. Here, I’m presenting some tips, but you need to look for more details on the internet. To
understand about cultural differences, please check Geer Hofstede and his studies on cultural dimensions,
Fons Trompenaars and his research on “seven dimensions of culture”. Additional sources could include Andy
Molinsky, Phillip Harris, and Robert Moran. Highly recommended is also reading about the work of Lionel
Laroche in Canada.

27. Ok, there are issues in finding a job,
what can you do?
27

28. Know yourself – what you need to succeed
1. Determination and passion: if you have taken the decision to move, convince yourself that there is no
chance to go back “home”, your new home will be Canada; in this way you will only have the option to
succeed in your new country.
2. Planning skills: you need to have a vision, a purpose and a plan for your life. Research about the Canadian
Labour Market, the Canadian Culture, Canadian associations, professional designations, etc., and include
these factors in your plans.
3. Be positive: reflect a spirit of excellence in everything you do; think about positive possibilities and the best
things will come within to your reach. Believe in yourself that you will be successful; it’s easy to fail if you
don’t have a dream and don’t work hard.
4. Generate ideas, take initiatives and work: improve your English, polish your skills, update your knowledge,
start a business, etc. and for everything you do, build confidence by practicing/doing it.
5. Persist: everything that will happen to you will be the result of your actions; nothing comes for free, you will
need to work tirelessly and make daily decisions. There could be many failures and hardships, so you will
need to keep focus on your goals.
6. Push yourself but be flexible: if your path to a professional job is too long, maybe it’s time to postpone this
path, and work on plan B or C and move on with it. Later, you may follow your initial goal.
7. Put things into perspective: balance life and work, you need to rest, be with your family, and also to be at
peace with yourself.
Apart from language, skills, and being culturally competent, you may need some personal “traits”:
Richard St. John, “What leads to success”
Andy Andrews, “Seven decisions that determine personal success”
Nick Noorani, “7 Success Secrets for Canadian Immigrants”
Adapted from
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29. Language Skills and Credentials
You obtained a good score in IELTS or you have worked for a period of time in an English speaking country,
so you think you’re ready to hit the road in Canada? Think it over: in a professional environment, it’s not
only the way you talk. Brits, Americans, Aussies, Kiwis, and Canadians communications are similar but
different, they also need to adapt their style.
To learn the “Canadian way” you can practice the language before you come. Read Canadian newspapers,
watch TV, listen to the radio before coming. When you’ve arrived try to integrate with communities other
than yours to check your understanding and if others are able to understand you.
However, effective communications include also the writing style, networking style, phone etiquette, and
presentations. Each of these areas have a cultural component. In Canada, communications are direct but
have a low key tone: being polite, reserved, and not confrontational are important attributes for effective
communications.
Another element to consider is your body language when you communicate: the way you look, your hands,
facial expressions, posture, etc. Something additional is the pitch, tone and if someone is interrupted when
talking. In informal meetings, Canadians prefer to talk about business or general things and not about their
personal lives. All of these communications features come into play for good communications.
What to do? How to improve? Take a course related to business communications. Search in Google
“communications for the workplace Canada”, “professional communications”, or “communication for
internationally trained professionals”. Many colleges and Universities offer related courses
29

30. Foreign Credential Recognition
When you come to Canada, you need to assess your credentials to demonstrate that you have studied/
learned some profession in a recognized university. There are organizations that provide credential
assessment services. This process may take time and money, but it’s worth to do it.
Even if your profession is not‐regulated (i.e. information technology, business administration among
others), it is advisable to evaluate your education. This will allow you to continue further studies or to
obtain internships/ jobs. If you don’t evaluate your credentials you will restrict your chances
If your profession is regulated, you need to comply with professional regulations in a specific province. You
may need to contact the professional association to find out the requirements and costs for licensing. Some
associations allow to start this process from abroad. To obtain a professional job you must pass exams and
complete supervised practices. This process may take several months (or years) to complete although you
may have started the process before coming to Canada.
There are many organizations that offer credential assessments. For further information:
http://www.cicic.ca/413/Assessment_of_credentials_for_employment_in_Canada_.canada
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31. Want or Need to study more?
Probably the higher your position in your previous country, the harder the path if your credentials
are not recognized. If that’s the case, you may need to update your skills to start working (usually in
a position at the bottom of the career ladder), and to compete with other skilled residents in your
current place.
There are many options to study in Universities and Colleges. Perform a Cost/benefit analysis of the
program. For example, if you don’t have any experience in Canada, and you decide to study to raise
your profile and earnings, you may have the same economic results if you pay fees for an MBA
($50k‐$90k) or a college ($5K‐$10k). It’s a good idea to ask a mentor for advice t
Depending on the specific field of study, it may be easier or harder to find a job. To make this
decision, check labour market information, assess your skills and passion for the field, and choose
those fields that have good job prospects.
Other options include “bridging programs” for those people that require credentials or licenses.
Contact professional associations to find more about this option. In any case, a co‐op component in
the program could add value to any graduate or post‐graduate specialization.
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For additional info, you may search: http://www.aucc.ca/canadian‐universities/study‐programs/

32. How to make you visible to others? Build your reputation, update your professional profile in social media,
post comments and let others know your value in the field and region in which you want to apply. Participate
in professional associations, go and participate in community centers, volunteer in Not for Profit activities.
How to know what the market is requiring? You need to have labour market information (LMI) to make your
decisions. Find LMI related to provinces: unemployment rates by gender, age, type of industry:
Google “labour market information Canada” http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/lmi/publications/index.shtml
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/about/publication/jobseek/lminfo.shtml
Google: “Job prospects province/region” For example in:
Ontario: http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/labourmarket/ojf/
Alberta: http://eae.alberta.ca/labour‐and‐immigration/labour‐market‐information/labour‐market‐
forecasts/alberta‐regional‐occupational‐demand‐outlook‐2012‐2016.aspx
British Columbia: https://www.workbc.ca/Statistics/Labour‐Market/Pages/Labour‐Market.aspx
Google: “Jobs in demand province” In this case for Canada:
http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca/LMI_bulletin.do
http://www23.hrsdc.gc.ca/l.3bd.2t.1ilshtml@‐eng.jsp?lid=16%20&fid=1&lang=en
Networking and Labour market Information
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33. Where to live?
It’s better to live (at least initially) where you may find a job, where your skills are needed. Don’t make your
decision based on weather/climate or because you have friends in a city. If your profession is required in the
West/North, etc. of Canada, explore opportunities there. Don’t buy a house before landing a job.
There are many rankings that show the advantage of living in large cities, for example, based on 8 factors
(Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, GDP growth, Productivity, Productivity growth, Income per capita, Income growth,
Employment growth, Unemployment rate), Calgary and Toronto rank 2nd and 6th in a group of 23 cities (Paris,
London, Oslo, Madrid, Sidney, and many American cities). Source: Toronto Region Board of Trade’s 2013 Scorecard on
Prosperity.
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance 2011 Statistics Canada,
Education in Canada: An International Perspective 2011
Population (25 to 64) with university degree
& employment rate
However, if we check the employment rates in detail for
university educated people, we may notice that B.C. and
Ontario don’t perform very well.
“Among Toronto’s new immigrant population, 55 %
have a university degree, .. behind Calgary, Vancouver,
Montreal and Halifax. Making matters worse, Toronto
fails to maximize its new immigrants’ skills, with 40 per
cent making a downward shift in their career”
Source: The Globe and Mail, Saturday April 13, “Toronto’s
recipe for prosperity: More graduates – and more paths to
good jobs”
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34. Bring enough money
As you may have noticed after reading the previous slides, finding a professional job could take days .. or
several months. If you don’t work for a while or work in a “survival” job, you may eat up your savings. In
any case, you may lose confidence, and probably opportunities to practice your professional skills.
On the other hand, you may have had a good standard of living in your previous country, so probably you
will try to keep that one; however, in your new country things could be more expensive. If that’s the case,
you may obtain a good job to support it, or you downsize your way of living to save money
Constant worries about money could lead to
bad decisions. People that bring enough
money to Canada, obtain better positions
and salaries than those that come with
limited resources
Source: TIEDI, York University, Report #1:
“Labour outcomes of immigrants by savings brought to
Canada” Average hourly wage by savings brought to Canada: 6 months, 2
years, 4 years after landing in Canada
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35. Canadian experience
Perhaps the most important factor to obtain a job in Canada is Canadian experience; so why and how to obtain this
experience? When employers evaluate a candidate, they value more on experience than in academic credentials.
Employers consider valuable for an applicant to have internships or co‐op experience. Larger organizations value
more specific experience than smaller ones where extracurricular activities are also considered.
If you have not obtained a job after several weeks (or months), volunteering is an option to obtain Canadian
experience. Working as a volunteer (for free) or in a Co‐op position (while studying) may allow you to show that
you have experience in your field and also let you learn the business language, do networking, access internal job
postings, know the workplace culture, and practice your hard/soft skills.
Notice, that there are some regulated professions where volunteering is not allowed; if that’s the case try to find a
similar position in a related area to obtain working experience. Also notice, that the lower the position you start,
the more steps you need to climb. Voluntary work is part of the Canadian culture. Without volunteers, hospitals,
nursing homes, and charities, community services, etc. could stop. People respect volunteers and help them find
paid jobs.
How to find a place to obtain working experience? Google “cooperative education city/region” or google “adult coop
education region”. i.e. Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/socialservices/work_exp.htm
in Peel Region: http://www.dpcdsb.org/NR/exeres/575DA489‐CB8F‐4A76‐A011‐9DF74F03C391.htm
If you plan to go to college, Google “coop education college Canada”. You will find many resources. However, be careful
with these programs, do your research to ensure a Co‐op program is provided. Ask a mentor.
Finally, Google ”internship for internationally educated professionals” or “internship for newcomers program”. You will
find internship programs for many professions and sectors. One examples is careeredge.ca
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36. About mentoring
Mentoring may be one of the best options for newly arrived immigrants. Many of the “unknowns” of the Canadian
environment have already been discovered, assessed and overcome by established immigrants. These ones can
help with information related to workplace practices, communication styles, interview types, market demands,
way to interact with others, etc.
No job offer is expected in this relationship; however, mentors’ tips may help people adjust expectations, assist
with career options, and believe in themselves.
The ideal mentor could be someone from similar background: country of origin, education, profession, industry. In
this situation career coaching and professional steps could be monitored, and even exposure may be available;
however, if the mentor doesn’t have the same profession, he/she may also help with role‐modeling, counseling,
and skills development.
“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction” – John Crosby
In a mentor/mentee relationship based on mutual respect and trust, the mentee can explore ideas in confidence,
to look at his/her chances and in possibly to check what he/she may want from life. This guidance process could
help people get up to speed.
Additional reference: Nanda Dimitrov, Western Guide to Mentoring Graduate Students Across Cultures
Probably the most valuable outcome of a mentoring relationship is when there is a transfer of knowledge for
cultural adaptation. The mentee may learn selectively about the values, beliefs, and attitudes of Canadians and
how they compare with his/her own culture. Topics could include power and distance, communication styles,
generalizations, stereotypes, and how to read between the lines to understand Canadian expectations.
How to find a mentor? Google “find a mentor in province” and you will find several resources. In Ontario, for example:
http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/working/OI_HOW_WORK_MENTOR.html
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37. “Good things come to those who believe, better things come to those who have patience and the best
things come to those who don’t give up…” Unknown
Conclusion
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There are several challenges that skilled immigrants need to overcome to obtain professional
jobs in their fields. If we see all of them as a group, it may become a paramount task to solve;
however, if we start looking at each of them, the issues could be solved. Obviously, the more
prepared you are when arriving in your new country, the more chances to land a job in less
time.
As you have seen in the previous slides, some challenges may also be opportunities to know
who you are, to find new paths in life, or to test your abilities to re‐invent yourself. During this
process, do not lose faith and keep moving to obtain your goals. You deserve to win, as long as
you take the risk and work harder than ever.
Some tips on what to do and how to do were presented here with regards to Canadian
experience, credentials recognition, and language skills among others. I firmly believe that if
you apply some of them, you may add value to your profile and chances to obtain a
professional job in Canada.

38. Annexes
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39. Job search method used by Canadian born and Immigrants
Management Health Sales & Serv
Job Search Method C-born Immigrants C-born Immigrants C-born Immigrants
Family or friend 32.7 30.8 26.6 39.1 43.1 49.4
Personal initiative 17.3 21.4 35.4 33.4 25.0 29.8
Help wanted 13.5 10.3 10.2 14.2 16.4 11.4
Directly recruited by
employer 19.6 17.8 17.6 13.7 11.2 11.7
Other method 14.2 15.3 12.3 9.0 6.9 6.2
Internet 3.0 2.0 1.8 5.5 1.7 1.8
Head-hunter 4.7 5.9 n/a n/a 0.5 1.4
News story 1.8 4.2 1.2 n/a 1.8 2.7
Government agency 1.5 n/a 0.8 n/a 2.8 2.3
On campus recruitment 3.6 2.4 3.5 n/a 1.1 2.2
Union posting 0.2 n/a 1.2 n/a 0.1 n/a
Job fair 0.2 n/a n/a n/a 0.7 n/a
Source: TIEDI Analytical Report 17, Feb. 2011, York University, “How do immigrants find jobs?”
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