jayeshaminnew
Hero Member
- Apr 25, 2014
- 165
- Category........
- FSW
- Visa Office......
- New Delhi
- NOC Code......
- 2174
- App. Filed.......
- 08-05-2014
- Nomination.....
- 18-08-2014
- Med's Request
- 06-11-2014
- Med's Done....
- 19-11-2014
- Passport Req..
- 26-02-2015
- VISA ISSUED...
- 05-03-2015
- LANDED..........
- 31-03-2015
The myth of “no Canadian experience”
Of all the "elephant in the room" stories (or myths) immigrants to Canada face, there is one that has been persistently used to signal some type of failure on the immigrants' part: lack of Canadian experience.
The reality is that all immigrants (to any country, not just Canada) lack experience from their new home; after all, they have never lived there before! While the phrase "lack of Canadian experience" can be interpreted in this literal fashion, it is often a euphemism used by some employers, co-workers and even service providers to hide what they know they can't or shouldn't say. It can even be a form of discrimination, bullying or harassment.
For my last article in this series, I will talk about what exactly is "lack of Canadian experience," how this impacts immigrants looking for jobs and what you can do about it.
What is Canadian experience?
Canadian experience is defined differently by different people. Contrary to what many think (i.e., that it refers to "work experience") all views seem to point to this definition: Canadian experience is the ability to understand the Canadian workplace culture and adapt to it by behaving according to Canadian workplace expectation (often also called "soft skills").
It includes many sub-categories such as being aware of: local industry trends, who is who in your occupational sector, the type of services and goods, the local market, Canadian legislation, technologies and occupational jargon.
Those who acquire these soft skills seem to get that elusive "Canadian experience" quickly, while those who don't may spend years and still struggle to "fit in." While many of these newcomers turn to work in survival jobs to get Canadian experience, they are really only getting work experience. Working as a security guard, cashier in a department store or a kitchen helper will not provide you with the "Canadian experience" you really need. These jobs may widen the gap between your last professional job and what you are looking for. And the wider the gap, the more difficult it will be for you to move from "survival" to "professional."
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/The-myth-of-no-Canadian-experience/articleshow/40648277.cms
Of all the "elephant in the room" stories (or myths) immigrants to Canada face, there is one that has been persistently used to signal some type of failure on the immigrants' part: lack of Canadian experience.
The reality is that all immigrants (to any country, not just Canada) lack experience from their new home; after all, they have never lived there before! While the phrase "lack of Canadian experience" can be interpreted in this literal fashion, it is often a euphemism used by some employers, co-workers and even service providers to hide what they know they can't or shouldn't say. It can even be a form of discrimination, bullying or harassment.
For my last article in this series, I will talk about what exactly is "lack of Canadian experience," how this impacts immigrants looking for jobs and what you can do about it.
What is Canadian experience?
Canadian experience is defined differently by different people. Contrary to what many think (i.e., that it refers to "work experience") all views seem to point to this definition: Canadian experience is the ability to understand the Canadian workplace culture and adapt to it by behaving according to Canadian workplace expectation (often also called "soft skills").
It includes many sub-categories such as being aware of: local industry trends, who is who in your occupational sector, the type of services and goods, the local market, Canadian legislation, technologies and occupational jargon.
Those who acquire these soft skills seem to get that elusive "Canadian experience" quickly, while those who don't may spend years and still struggle to "fit in." While many of these newcomers turn to work in survival jobs to get Canadian experience, they are really only getting work experience. Working as a security guard, cashier in a department store or a kitchen helper will not provide you with the "Canadian experience" you really need. These jobs may widen the gap between your last professional job and what you are looking for. And the wider the gap, the more difficult it will be for you to move from "survival" to "professional."
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/The-myth-of-no-Canadian-experience/articleshow/40648277.cms
