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Finding Work - Why is it so hard!

D

David_TVO

Star Member
Jan 29, 2011
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We have just completed a web series featuring New Canadians discussing the challenges and frustrations they have experienced in Canada. A group of highly skilled immigrants talked about how hard it is to find work in their field. We want to know if you agree with them. Please watch the video, then email me with your stories, mentioning what town or city you are living in, and how long you have been in Canada.

Here is the video link, you need to paste it into your browser.

tvo.org/TVO/WebObjects/TVO.woa?videoid?760336315001


You can email me at derwin@tvo.org
 
Hi David,

I totally agree with the descriptions of the problems/difficulties of finding work in Canada presented in the video. I landed in Nov 2009 (I came through the family class stream, not skilled worker) and have yet to find work. I am not qualified to work in my field, teaching, even though I have nearly 20 years experience in the United States. I am re-training to be a bookkeeper and am currently taking a co-op course in accounting with 25 other adult immigrants (some of whom have been in Canada a long time) who are highly qualified (accounting degrees, MBAs, deep work experiences etc) and are trying to get entry level type positions because they are also unable to find jobs.

We, my classmates and I, are currently seeking co-op placements in local companies for 6 week unpaid internships. While our instructor is asking for us to each provide 10 good leads for her to call to arrange these placements, we are finding it very difficult to get just one or two companies to agree to even explore the possibility of taking an adult co-op placement student.


Thanks to TVO and "the Agenda" for shedding some light on the problems facing immigrants. I would not have chosen to move to Canada except for my personal relationship with one of its citizens. I assumed my transition coming from the states would have been a bit easier than other immigrants. I was quite surprised at how closed off from opportunities new immigrants are, especially given the country's immigration policies. There seems to be a great disconnect between attracting foreign talent and putting that talent to good use in the Canadian economy.

If you'd like more information, please feel free to private message me, or post a reply here. Maybe you'd be interested in coming to speak with my classmates (we're in Mississauga, ON) on our experiences and the obstacles we have faced in finding work in Canada?

Regards,
Allison
 
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Thanks Allison,

Do we have permission to post your comments on one of our blogs. You would need to reply in this forum granting permission or send me an email at derwin@tvo.org. And, can you tell which country you came from, I assume the United States.

Thanks again for taking the time to give us some feedback.
 
Excellent video posting! It depicts the true accurate picture of what difficulties new immigrants face in looking for jobs! I guess many of us just have to face the facts of hardship in this new land. Even for me, a qualified finance professional, with double masters, and bachelors degree from US and double masters from top unis, has great difficulties finding jobs here. I have contacted numerous banks and financial institutions and also headhunters, yet still find it really hard to land a job. This is really discouraging but we just have to ride it out. Perhaps, by re-training or new courses.

Just hang in and endure!
 
David, I sent you an email giving permission to repost. Thanks for asking.

Good luck to you, abelkwh. Your qualifications match many of my classmates who are seeking employment as entry-level bookkeepers and clerks. Hopefully, once in a position they will be able to demonstrate how valuable and transferable their skills and accomplishments are. Right now it seems to be all about getting a foot in the door!
 
The problem is first, i am not accounting trained, i am neither an auditor before nor an accountant. secondly, i have even tried entry level positions like customer service in the various banks and entry level positions and rejected many times. thirdly, my English proficiency is of native speaker level and lastly, its all because of the networking and hidden market that is really making it hard to get employed, i have even approached recruiters and also local provincial and city help from the city but yet cannot find. So disheartening.

I guess maybe some of us just need to be re-trained and get into programs that can provide us co-ops that can land us jobs easily through the connections of the unis or colleges. Then this would definitely be the fastest way to a job.
 
We have put all these videos into one blog. We would like to hear how you feel about immigration issues in Canada. You can sign into the comment section and give us your opinions.

You must paste these link into your browser

bit.ly/yourcomments
 
abelkwh said:
Excellent video posting! It depicts the true accurate picture of what difficulties new immigrants face in looking for jobs! I guess many of us just have to face the facts of hardship in this new land. Even for me, a qualified finance professional, with double masters, and bachelors degree from US and double masters from top unis, has great difficulties finding jobs here. I have contacted numerous banks and financial institutions and also headhunters, yet still find it really hard to land a job. This is really discouraging but we just have to ride it out. Perhaps, by re-training or new courses.

Just hang in and endure!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your feedback. Do I have permission to post your comments on our websIte?
 
abelkwh said:
Sure, u may do it. No problem!
Click to expand...

Thank you. I gathering a few comments from different threads and plan to publish them in a week. I will let you know when they are online.
 
Personally, I have been very lucky regarding my work situation in Canada, especially since my French is not perfect. I took a hit in pay when I moved from the States, but the cost of living is also lower here, as a tuition costs. I am lucky to be in a stable situation.

My two cents worth as to why immigrants have a tough time finding work here: Some employers here seem to think they know the candidate better than the candidate knows him or herself. For example: When I was looking for a job, I was told by one employer that they thought the commute would be too far for me. I mean, how absurd is that! Who's to say that the candidate would not relocate or would not mind commuting 1 hour each way to work? That is for the candidate to decide.

Poor hiring decisions like that seem to be more commonplace here than they are in the States. I have seen companies hire employees here and keep them on board for years even though the employee was VERY frequently absent (on average 2x WEEKLY for MONTHS at a time) and not even reprimand them. Granted, this can happen anywhere, but in my personal experience, it seems more common here. Poor performance is tolerated more here than it is in the States, which translates to lost time, lost money and lost talent.

My advice to new Canadians looking for work is to exhaust all possibilities available to you. Go through the phone book and call or send CVs to companies you'd like to work for, network, visit sites like Craigslist and go to your local employment office. Always learn new skills and above all ADAPT to your new life in Canada.
 
Its pretty common and normal for all of us, new immigrants to get a pay hit and have reduced annual income. I am also facing the same situation and fortunately, found a survivor job within 2 weeks of sending resumes out, guess, could be i have had my education from the US and speak pretty decent American, north American English. Those finding jobs, should try to brush up yr spoken English as i have noticed that speaking ability really determines the success or failure of an interview. Also, i would also recommend those who do not have north American education or background to upgrade at a Canadian college or uni and get the qualifications required and also get the opportunity to utilize the resources at the college or uni to get a job, which is what i did. The job mkt is tough here but survival jobs should not be too hard to get but career of yr choice will need to put in more effort and perhaps upgrading. I have already gotten to know, at least 5 PR immigrants here so far, whom has gone back to uni or college for upgrading or just to get a local qualification to qualify for the career of their choice.
 
Thankfully my husband has had a pretty easy go of it. He arrived in Canada from Nigeria in Sept 2010. He was educated in the UK and spent the past 6 years living there, and we think that may have helped him secure employment. He has a BSc in computer science, and was working on his Masters in IT management before coming to Canada (though did not complete)

He started looking for work in November, found a recruiting company who offered him a temporary position covering a paternity leave in the IT field. He started there in December with a wage of $40,000. The job ends in April, but they have already told him that there will be a full-time position for him with better wage and benefits.

While looking for work he started working at Wal-Mart doing overnight maintenance (he took the overnight shift so he could still attend interviews during the day). He only worked there for 3 weeks but was disheartened by the number of educated immigrants who work there, some of them for many (10+) years for only $12 per hour.
 
I think this could be one of the issues but again I could be wrong. I apologize in advance if if anyone of you are hurt by my comments as this is not intentional.

Lets say there is a shortage of Taxi Drivers or Truck Drivers in Canada.
Lets say a doctor or an engineer want to immigrate to Canada from a developing country.
According to immigration Canada website, these jobs get high points including all the other creteria such as work experience and education.
In a developing countries taxi/truck drivers dont have an education, they are slightly above rickshaw walas or CNG walas (people who with rickshaws & CNG)
They dont know anything about education nor any certifications or work experience all they know is they need to feed their families with whatever they get. They will not qualify to come to Canada with their skills/work experience or education.
So now we have the doctors and engineers who qualify according to the Canadian point system but once they get here they dont have any jobs in their fields and opt to become taxi/truck drivers because they have to feed their family to make ends meet. They money they bring here as landed immigrant is spent on housing/looking for jobs in their fields/feeding their family etc.
 
What u have mentioned is pretty true and is happening to many of those from developing countries. So what one needs to do is simply upgrade according to the standard required here and then there could be some hope of getting back to the previous career or start a new career after re-training.
 
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