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Brutal Winter and a jobless immigrant family

deerestlovelybear

Hero Member
Jan 20, 2015
712
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Hi guys, just wanna rant a bit to vent away my depression, I hope you can share your experience and we can learn to over come this harsh reality of life in Canada :(

Looking at this excitement about applying for PR reminding me and my family of years ago when we was as excited as you guys applying for Permanent Resident. I still remember the date I got my PR visas for the entire family, it was like we are going to a paradise, it was the best day in our life, we was so happy.

But now the reality of a broken dream in Canada is killing us day by day. Since the day we landed in this land, supposed to be our dream new home, we have sent countless of job applications. We followed all the advices, we volunteered and work for free and being exploited till we could not stand any more. My wife and I both took turn going back to school and spent the last dollar of savings into our last investment in a hope of landing a white collar job. We are not looking for jobs that pay 100K, all we need is a decent white collar job that we do not have to hide our qualifications and experience back home, a job that feed our family and do not leave our back so painful we cannot sleep at night. Over 3 years since we are here, all we have are surviving jobs, we shoved snow, cut grass, cleaned toilet, watched over shops at night in dangerous areas, yet we are not able to save any money and we spent all our hard earned money we got before we came to Canada. We want our parents here to help taking care of the kids while we upgrade ourselves but the insurance cost of super visa is forbidden barrier and it is almost impossible to sponsor them to Canada, even the 5000 lucky people submitting application on the 1st day of the year when application is opened and earn tons of $$ to meet the income requirements need to wait over 10 years till the time their parent can come to Canada as PR.

The market here is simply too small and there is absolutely no white collar job for immigrants unless you already have family or friends who are in the position of hiring you. People here are nice but this is simply too small an economy to absorb the huge number of skilled immigrants each year. Canada has been admitting a quarter of million skilled workers every year over the past decades and if you look at the number of jobs created last year, you know where those people will end up to. Canada now is not like Canada in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of jobs created each year barely match the number of local graduates and schools here increase the intake year by year because international students is a huge source of their revenue. I am totally shocked at why the government keep adding too many skilled immigrants to the country every year despite the brutal reality and hardship that these immigrants have to go to. This is clearly inhumane and misleading. Many families from other countries are leaving everything behind in the false hope of a better life in Canada just to realize that there is nothing for them here and they have to clean toilet, wash dishes or drive taxi. No matter if you have PhD or are managers back home, there is nothing for you here to use your skills and knowledge.

If the purpose is to recruit foreign skilled workers to do labourer job then what about Canadian youth who are jobless and desperate to earn some money to pay back their tuition loan? I totally do not understand the system, it is completely a scam and it is brutal. Just last week I was laid off from my security guard job, turned out that it was filled by another young immigrant. I am pretty sure he get less than what I earned which is just slightly above the minimum wage for a night shift job. And now the winter is brutal, and our family is turning to meagre social assistant and EI that is hardly enough to put foot on the table. We do not know what to do, it is harsh here. We want to go back, but the thought of being looked at like a "loser" make us feel so painful. Everyday I look at the snow, I just feel like we made the worst decision to leave everything behind and we are paying for that decision.
 
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Papa Bomboy

Hero Member
Jan 19, 2013
255
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Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
So sorry to hear about your misfortune. Please what province do you reside at the moment if you don't mind me asking
 

Ketevan

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2012
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UK
Category........
Visa Office......
London (Federal), Paris (BIQ)
NOC Code......
4162
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
18-03-2011 (Quebec); 29-02-2012 (Federal), signed by KRSZWDA
Nomination.....
Interview letter received from BIQ (Paris) November 2011
AOR Received.
15-08-2011 (Quebec); 23-03-2012 (Federal, e-mail)
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19-04-2012 (London started processing)
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12-06-2012 (delivered on 19-06-2012 by post)
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04-07-2012 (received by London on 09-07-2012, signed by IAN); appeared on ECAS on 31-07-2012
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06-02-2012 (got CSQ at Paris BIQ)
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30-07-12, but cancelled on 08-08-12 (additional background checks needed :o ) New passport req. - 05/11/12
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20-11-12 (Passport submitted in person 15/11/12; Decision made and canadian address on ECAS 23/11/12; passport picked up in person 29/11/12).
LANDED..........
09-03-13, Montreal YUL
Canada's economy is based on resource extraction and services. Hence it has labour shortages in skilled trades and low-paying service jobs. Therefore if a skilled immigrant does not qualify in trades, he is likely to end up in low paying service jobs. The rule is simple: As immigrants we can mostly get job if:
1. No Canadian wants to do it.
2. No Canadian can do it.
Exceptions apply but are rare.

I have many acquaintances who could not find jobs in their white collar fields and retrained in skilled trades. Now all of them are doing fine. However, I would not be happy doing their blue collar jobs.

As for immigration, the major rationale behind it is to sustain population growth, especially in provinces which are, politely speaking, not the most desirable place to live in. This is why you see Manitoba, Saskatchewan and North developing more and more provincial nominee programs.
 

deerestlovelybear

Hero Member
Jan 20, 2015
712
203
Papa Bomboy said:
So sorry to hear about your misfortune. Please what province do you reside at the moment if you don't mind me asking
I am in Toronto Ontario, I am sick of the winter this year, and life is so miserable without a good job!
 

deerestlovelybear

Hero Member
Jan 20, 2015
712
203
Ketevan said:
Canada's economy is based on resource extraction and services. Hence it has labour shortages in skilled trades and low-paying service jobs. Therefore if a skilled immigrant does not qualify in trades, he is likely to end up in low paying service jobs. The rule is simple: As immigrants we can mostly get job if:
1. No Canadian wants to do it.
2. No Canadian can do it.
Exceptions apply but are rare.

I have many acquaintances who could not find jobs in their white collar fields and retrained in skilled trades. Now all of them are doing fine. However, I would not be happy doing their blue collar jobs.

As for immigration, the major rationale behind it is to sustain population growth, especially in provinces which are, politely speaking, not the most desirable place to live in. This is why you see Manitoba, Saskatchewan and North developing more and more provincial nominee programs.
This is very true, but ironically those provinces still have some jobs. Big cities like Toronto and Vancouver, it is so expensive just to live here and there are not many survival jobs, even for those paying minimum wage, there are few rounds of interview and there are always many people applying for whatever job no matter what it is. I agree that blue collar jobs is way to go but due to health issue, I am not able to do most blue collar jobs and to be honest, we need to go back to school to learn the trades and it is not always easy. Imagine crane operator, truck driver, plumber, those are not suitable for everyone
 

nthompson

Star Member
Nov 30, 2012
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:eek:

Hello deerestlovelybear,

I'm really sorry to hear that your experience so far has not been the greatest. Everyone has a different experience and mine has been very different from yours. From the day I landed here till today everything has been going smoothly "so far"

Big question is. What was the main reason why you moved to Canada? If you came over here thinking that you would automatically be living the dream life having the best job, then sorry you moved here for the wrong reasons. Canada is a GREAT place to live and for sure is full of opportunities but honestly if your not a peoples person you won't get far here being a new immigrant as networking over here is the key to success as Canadians are very laid back if you don't make the approach or speak out aloud you won't get very far.

Just a question: What was your occupation in your job previously back home? Since I've landed a permanent job I have had phone calls and emails with job offers, so maybe your resume is not hitting the marks as a lot of companies screen through resumes with a pointing system.

When people say Canada is expensive and that the houses are overpriced. Try living in London UK and you see expensive I find things really cheap over here excluding grocery shopping.

Because you have been here for 3 years I was going to recommend CareerEdge to you but you only qualify if you have been in the country for under 3 years. 3 years is a long time and if your still struggling wouldn't you be better off going back home as you should have a good grasp of the Canadian community and at least have a decent job by now as most people take anywhere from 3-24 months to land a decent job and have an idea on how things will progress from there.

I really don't like to see anyone having bad experience in Canada because I'm also a recent immigrant and it is a tough decision we make moving here without knowing where we will end up or if we will ever find a decent job. Stay strong and I'm sure you are but go to seminars, job fairs or even downtown to social events to just network with people.

What people need to understand is that you need charisma if you want to be noticed.

Canada is not all that bad as I've been here for 8 months and been working for 7months, everyone's experience is different.

Stay positive!
 

vish.777

Hero Member
Aug 2, 2014
257
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Category........
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New Delhi --> WARSAW
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2241
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27/10/2014
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PER 25/01/2015
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Warsaw on 10/02/2015
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[b][size=12pt]Bought a Frying Pan :p
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05/05/2015
Med's Done....
12/05/2015
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[b][color=goldenrod] DM - 23/05/2015
Passport Req..
[color=coral][b]27/05/2015
VISA ISSUED...
[color=teal][b]20/05/2015 as per COPR, PP received on 12/06/2015
nthompson said:
:eek:

Hello deerestlovelybear,

I'm really sorry to hear that your experience so far has not been the greatest. Everyone has a different experience and mine has been very different from yours. From the day I landed here till today everything has been going smoothly "so far"

Big question is. What was the main reason why you moved to Canada? If you came over here thinking that you would automatically be living the dream life having the best job, then sorry you moved here for the wrong reasons. Canada is a GREAT place to live and for sure is full of opportunities but honestly if your not a peoples person you won't get far here being a new immigrant as networking over here is the key to success as Canadians are very laid back if you don't make the approach or speak out aloud you won't get very far.

Just a question: What was your occupation in your job previously back home? Since I've landed a permanent job I have had phone calls and emails with job offers, so maybe your resume is not hitting the marks as a lot of companies screen through resumes with a pointing system.

When people say Canada is expensive and that the houses are overpriced. Try living in London UK and you see expensive I find things really cheap over here excluding grocery shopping.

Because you have been here for 3 years I was going to recommend CareerEdge to you but you only qualify if you have been in the country for under 3 years. 3 years is a long time and if your still struggling wouldn't you be better off going back home as you should have a good grasp of the Canadian community and at least have a decent job by now as most people take anywhere from 3-24 months to land a decent job and have an idea on how things will progress from there.

I really don't like to see anyone having bad experience in Canada because I'm also a recent immigrant and it is a tough decision we make moving here without knowing where we will end up or if we will ever find a decent job. Stay strong and I'm sure you are but go to seminars, job fairs or even downtown to social events to just network with people.

What people need to understand is that you need charisma if you want to be noticed.

Canada is not all that bad as I've been here for 8 months and been working for 7months, everyone's experience is different.

Stay positive!
Hi deerestlovelybear and nthompson,

nthompson-
Although your comments are not addressed to me, I appreciate your empathy towards this person and his family. I too feel sorry for him, and I wish I could help such people, oops am still in the process of getting my PR.

True that London, UK defines what expensive really is.

Am happy to notice that some of the new immigrants are doing good although few have been unlucky (might just not be luck, something might be causing this) or may be they don't realise what is going wrong.

Probably it is too late to say this to you deerestlovelybear, if not you I hope it benefits somebody who reads this.

One thing that has helped me when I was in the UK was my realisation towards my self-prejudice and ego. While I was pursuing my masters in the UK, I had to take up a part-time job anywhere possible. I did not want my dad pay for anything apart for our (me and my wifes) tuition fee, which we eventually paid back :). It was tough for me to convince him being an Indian. It is offensive to say no to your dads money. Yes it is! :p

I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, expose myself to anything and everything when I left for UK, however, I really did not realise I wasn't actually ready for it yet when I landed a job as a waiter in a restaurant. The feeling of 'What the f*^$, am I really picking and serving food' whereas I lead a luxurious life with a maid to do all the work for us and another person to go shop locally for me back home, all I did was party, study, live with my parents(I still do after am back from the UK, that isn't going to change), drive around in my car, hang out with friends, shop. I couldn't digest this life in the UK where we cook for ourselves, wash our clothes, buy grocery ourselves, walk for couple of miles to work or get a bus :eek: WTH, a bus. I was crying for a couple of nights when my wife was asleep, and saying to myself - what have I put ourselves through, do we need to go through all this far away from family.

Probably Morgan Freeman from Bruce Almighty kicked my butt while I was alseep lol

Then it was the next morning I woke up with a different attitude towards life, I told to myself- yes life in India was great, this ain't India. And my parents aren't here and this is a totally different culture where you enjoy what you earn and not what your father earns for you.

I thanked my parents for that life. And probably had reality check with myself, what am I without my parents, his money. We then decided that we will work from scratch, and were sure with the kind of education and skills, by the time we get a decent job we will learn a lot about life, value of an earning, and the lesson we learn by accounting to each penny we spend. We continued in the waiter job, finished our masters, found a job we wanted. It was very tough getting used to doing all the tasks by myself but isn't impossible.

Now I can proudly say I am Indo-UK cultured Indian and have achieved something so far though am not content yet.

I have probably picked the best of both cultures. Ohh I love the fish and chips with curry sauce :)

My wife and I landed a very good job (related to our Master's degree) although many of my friends and acquaintances left the UK as they couldn't find a job. I think we networked very well, been through a different and necessary perspective towards a different life in a different part of the world, made many good friends, and adopted the British accent too. Had a beautiful daughter in the snow fall and temporarily named her snow-baby then :p, oh we love snow, probably won't in the future with the kind of snowfall in Canada.

So, If I wouldn't have cried those nights, haven't missed earlier life and my parents, I would have returned home with my friends when they did. And I have seen them suffer with their self-esteem, won't network attitude.

I hope life in Canada will teach us something better everyday as the UK did and we evolve to better each day we live.


Having said all that, I was in my early 20's when I was in the UK 5 years ago and not everybody might be that young and might not be able to adapt new things at this point of life, sorry but if you can't you better take a decision now to choose what is better for you and your family. If moving to Canada was tough, returning to your home country might be worse but end of the day its about how much you will have your wife and kids suffer.

When I read experiences on forums and blogs, I have mostly gone through miserable stories than just two cases(including yours nthompson) that it has been good after landing in Canada.

Wish you both good luck, and hope something better comes through to deerestlovelybear.
 

vana-hb

Newbie
Mar 3, 2015
6
0
Hallo,

I am sorry to heard such a story. But I must admit that I am sorry that nobody has told you the truth about living and looking for a job abroad.

I will tell you story about myself. Once I was an educated guy with decent work history behind who was about to get a hard lesson. I moved to Ireland hoping for the best in a promised land where everybody has a great job as I was told. Well they may had, but … there was the trouble that I was flaying high passing great Cvs believing in job offers. What I found out was that there were not many great jobs openings for foreign worker. The reason was simple and it was that this story took place in the years of the recession a cup of years ago. At least I was told so. Well, anyway everybody kept their places and when there was an opening an Irish guy was step front of me. That was a guy with perfect English and check able background. So I was loosing money and I decided to go for what ever available. But there was the problem that I didn’t put down some lines in the CV and who wants a storage manager with College diploma in IT – I was simply over educated. I did some labours but those yobs just extended the suffering. At the end I was scammed by a fake job offer, lost the rest of my money and was just about to move to train station. So I swallowed my pride, borrowed money for a flight ticket and spend next two years working in my home country just to pay out all my debts.

Do you see some similarities.

You didnt write the most important – the object of your interest. ”White collar job ” can be really whatever.

Well the think about you is that as an alien you had just very small change to get a dream job when you arrived. There were many guys with Canadian education and check able references in the line frond of you. If they took you on board you would have to be really extraordinary deal. After so long time doing labours you shifted yourself far behind a typical college student so your change to get the dream job is close to absolute zero. No, just no office for you. It is as simple as that.

So now the question is where is the mistake and what you want. There are simply two options:
1. swallow the pride and go home – you didn’t make it as many people didn’t.
2. work for it hard if you have good hands, lower expectations, rend small flat and don’t he afraid to travel for the job (or reallocate close to oil or farm jobs]. Update the CV - scratch out the University and that you want a great office job and instead of that scrap just put that you work hard ad like it.

P
 

mrbeachman

Hero Member
Oct 24, 2011
333
34
Ketevan said:
Canada's economy is based on resource extraction and services. Hence it has labour shortages in skilled trades and low-paying service jobs.
Canada's economy is based on importing immigrants. Now, this is not a statement made out of anger or spite, it is simply a fact.

If the life does not work out for OP, he can at least take some comfort in the fact that he will have old age security (currently close to $1300 a month) and many healthcare benefits as I am sure he is "enjoying" now as a low income resident.
 
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0NIKE0

Full Member
Mar 4, 2015
21
0
deerestlovelybear said:
I am in Toronto Ontario, I am sick of the winter this year, and life is so miserable without a good job!
Strange people are crazy about Toronto
 

nthompson

Star Member
Nov 30, 2012
155
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Visa Office......
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App. Filed.......
2012-11-08<br>AOR Received.: 2012-11-23<br>MEDs done.....: 2013-04-03<br>File transfer.....: 2012-12-14<br><img src="http://www.tri-citycurlingclub.com/Tri-City_Curling_Club_2/_RefFiles/Canada.gif" alt="" border="0" height="180" width="240"><br><b>FAQ:</b><br><a href="http://fswp2013.wordpress.com/FAQs">Canada FSWP FAQs</a><br><b>Spreadsheet:</b><br><a href="http://tinyurl.com/FSW14-Spreadsheet">FSW 2014 Spreadsheet</a><br><b>Chit Chat:</b><br><a href="http://tinyurl.com/FSW-2014-FORUM">FSW 2014 DISCUSSION FORUM</a><br><b>Enter your own data:</b><br><a href="http://tinyurl.com/FSW14-Entry">FSW 2014 Entry</a><hr><img src="http://developer.linkedin.com/sites/default/files/LinkedIn_Logo30px.png" alt="" border="0" height="25" width="30"><b><a href="http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;u=352905">PM me here</a></b>
vish.777 said:
Hi deerestlovelybear and nthompson,

nthompson-
Although your comments are not addressed to me, I appreciate your empathy towards this person and his family. I too feel sorry for him, and I wish I could help such people, oops am still in the process of getting my PR.

True that London, UK defines what expensive really is.

Am happy to notice that some of the new immigrants are doing good although few have been unlucky (might just not be luck, something might be causing this) or may be they don't realise what is going wrong.

Probably it is too late to say this to you deerestlovelybear, if not you I hope it benefits somebody who reads this.

One thing that has helped me when I was in the UK was my realisation towards my self-prejudice and ego. While I was pursuing my masters in the UK, I had to take up a part-time job anywhere possible. I did not want my dad pay for anything apart for our (me and my wifes) tuition fee, which we eventually paid back :). It was tough for me to convince him being an Indian. It is offensive to say no to your dads money. Yes it is! :p

I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, expose myself to anything and everything when I left for UK, however, I really did not realise I wasn't actually ready for it yet when I landed a job as a waiter in a restaurant. The feeling of 'What the f*^$, am I really picking and serving food' whereas I lead a luxurious life with a maid to do all the work for us and another person to go shop locally for me back home, all I did was party, study, live with my parents(I still do after am back from the UK, that isn't going to change), drive around in my car, hang out with friends, shop. I couldn't digest this life in the UK where we cook for ourselves, wash our clothes, buy grocery ourselves, walk for couple of miles to work or get a bus :eek: WTH, a bus. I was crying for a couple of nights when my wife was asleep, and saying to myself - what have I put ourselves through, do we need to go through all this far away from family.

Probably Morgan Freeman from Bruce Almighty kicked my butt while I was alseep lol

Then it was the next morning I woke up with a different attitude towards life, I told to myself- yes life in India was great, this ain't India. And my parents aren't here and this is a totally different culture where you enjoy what you earn and not what your father earns for you.

I thanked my parents for that life. And probably had reality check with myself, what am I without my parents, his money. We then decided that we will work from scratch, and were sure with the kind of education and skills, by the time we get a decent job we will learn a lot about life, value of an earning, and the lesson we learn by accounting to each penny we spend. We continued in the waiter job, finished our masters, found a job we wanted. It was very tough getting used to doing all the tasks by myself but isn't impossible.

Now I can proudly say I am Indo-UK cultured Indian and have achieved something so far though am not content yet.

I have probably picked the best of both cultures. Ohh I love the fish and chips with curry sauce :)

My wife and I landed a very good job (related to our Master's degree) although many of my friends and acquaintances left the UK as they couldn't find a job. I think we networked very well, been through a different and necessary perspective towards a different life in a different part of the world, made many good friends, and adopted the British accent too. Had a beautiful daughter in the snow fall and temporarily named her snow-baby then :p, oh we love snow, probably won't in the future with the kind of snowfall in Canada.

So, If I wouldn't have cried those nights, haven't missed earlier life and my parents, I would have returned home with my friends when they did. And I have seen them suffer with their self-esteem, won't network attitude.

I hope life in Canada will teach us something better everyday as the UK did and we evolve to better each day we live.


Having said all that, I was in my early 20's when I was in the UK 5 years ago and not everybody might be that young and might not be able to adapt new things at this point of life, sorry but if you can't you better take a decision now to choose what is better for you and your family. If moving to Canada was tough, returning to your home country might be worse but end of the day its about how much you will have your wife and kids suffer.

When I read experiences on forums and blogs, I have mostly gone through miserable stories than just two cases(including yours nthompson) that it has been good after landing in Canada.

Wish you both good luck, and hope something better comes through to deerestlovelybear.
Thanks Vish,

It's just sad to see so many people have no success in Canada once they land here. If I went by the blogs and what I've been reading it would make me miserable and hopeless in landing a success in Canada.

That's a really good posting you made and I'm really glad for you as well.

Wish you the best and success in your future
 

GTO911

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Nov 15, 2014
294
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16-10-2015
Med's Done....
28-05-2015
VISA ISSUED...
Very Soon
LANDED..........
Soon
I am amazed people always find reasons to whine.

If you didint find a job, why did you not learn some trades? Electrician? HVAC Technician?

They pay very well and jobs are easy to find.
 

on-hold

Champion Member
Feb 6, 2010
1,120
131
This is part of the problem with emphasizing middle-class, skilled immigration. In the past, immigrants to Canada were largely peasants and working-class people -- the Canada of today was built by their children and grandchildren, and they came here from harsh lives, expecting a harsh life. Today, CIC emphasizes college education and professional qualifications -- so today's immigrants are middle class in their home countries. They immigrate expecting to be able to maintain that standard.

Today, no one is guaranteed a middle-class job -- look at what recent graduates are doing; and most of them are born Canadians, with networks, perfect accents, and a good understanding of their society. Plus, Canada has high barriers to professional certification in many occupations. There are very few countries where an immigrant with no real history in the place can step off the boat and find themselves middle class -- Canada may not be one anymore, but there has been no discussion of the ethics of encouraging middle-class immigration.

I have often thought that if Canada gave equal weight to skilled labour -- plumbers, electricians, professional drivers, even regular laborers -- it would do better. In most of the developing world, skilled labour is paid poorly, and regular labour worse, and these immigrants would probably find Canada a good deal compared to their homes. But the sad truth is, if you are middle class in Asia, your life is probably better than if you're middle class in Canada; and if you were middle class in Asia and survival class in Canada, your life here is far worse.
 
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