Immigrants (even native Canadians) struggle to find work in Canada

[number411]

http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/land-of-misfortune/ dt. 2013
http://theconversation.com/young-educated-and-underemployed-are-we-building-a-nation-of-phd-baristas-53104 dt Jan 15, 2016

Though the first article is from 2013, some of the points are still relevant now, especially considering the struggling Canadian dollar and faltering economy due to low oil.

- 23% of Canadian immigrants live in poverty while in other OECD countries it is 17%
- A foreign name results in recruiters assuming the guy has poor english skills. Just changing the name in resume from anglophonic to Indian/Chinese resulted in 50% drop in recruiter response
- Immigrants with similar education/experience earn only 67% of salary as Canadian counterparts, while in US it is 93%
- Immigrants who struggle do not want to portray their true picture back home.

The second article is not specific to immigrants, but more scaringly, says even Canadian natives are struggling to find jobs suitable to their qualification and mostly underemployed.

 

[number411]

There hasn't been any replies to this after 2 days, is that because people already know this, or because they don't want to hear bad news, or both?

Anyway, I was doing some further research in social media (facebook, twitter, reddit) to find guys who are recently laid off. There are many, especially in Alberta and in other provinces too. And there are many Canadian natives, who are masters, even double masters, and unemployed or underemployed. Canada seems to be a country that has too many well-educated people and less jobs and recessing economy, as against US or Asia that has less educated people and booming economies!

For people who just got PRs and planning to land - please be mentally prepared for an elongated period of job search, or better still, don't resign your home country jobs, but go to land on a vacation and go back to your jobs. When economy improves, maybe you can come back and start your job search.

For guys who are waiting after AORs or waiting for ITA - please consider this as a blessing that we are not in Canada in a bad economy and can wait out the bad period. Even if you got a PR faster and land immediately, you may not get a job, so wherever you are, enjoy your jobs, incomes and social life!

 

[NILESHRM]

just ignore all this

apply your strength in finding a job instead of reading such discouraging articles.

 

[artnet]

There hasn't been any replies to this after 2 days, is that because people already know this, or because they don't want to hear bad news, or both?

Anyway, I was doing some further research in social media (facebook, twitter, reddit) to find guys who are recently laid off. There are many, especially in Alberta and in other provinces too. And there are many Canadian natives, who are masters, even double masters, and unemployed or underemployed. Canada seems to be a country that has too many well-educated people and less jobs and recessing economy, as against US or Asia that has less educated people and booming economies!

For people who just got PRs and planning to land - please be mentally prepared for an elongated period of job search, or better still, don't resign your home country jobs, but go to land on a vacation and go back to your jobs. When economy improves, maybe you can come back and start your job search.

For guys who are waiting after AORs or waiting for ITA - please consider this as a blessing that we are not in Canada in a bad economy and can wait out the bad period. Even if you got a PR faster and land immediately, you may not get a job, so wherever you are, enjoy your jobs, incomes and social life!

why dont you share your own experience, instead of sharing articles that God knows what the authors real interest was

 

[ttrajan]

Now job market is down due to low oil prices and many companies are laying off people. Also economy and CAD are down. Some of my engineers friend worked in oil and gas industries laid off last year and gone back to their home countries. Not good time for new comers.

 

[Jalex23]

There hasn't been any replies to this after 2 days, is that because people already know this, or because they don't want to hear bad news, or both?

I was going to reply, but it felt unnecessary.

Just to say, I recently helped 1 friend to find a job, I got myself offered (I didn't look for it) a job and heard of two of my acquaintances finding cool contracts.

True, economy has slowed down and things aren't as fast paced as before, but that article is just a click magnet, it has several flaws.

 

[number411]

I was going to reply, but it felt unnecessary.

Just to say, I recently helped 1 friend to find a job, I got myself offered (I didn't look for it) a job and heard of two of my acquaintances finding cool contracts.

True, economy has slowed down and things aren't as fast paced as before, but that article is just a click magnet, it has several flaws.

Thanks for this. I myself realized the folly of going by media articles. I am also observing social media. In this forum, aspirants want positive news. I am quite skeptical to focus only on positive news and I want to be more balanced. In Canadian media and in social websites, the general vibe is negative mostly because of currency and oil. But the infra spending plan seems to have infused some good news.

 

[mrbeachman]

The economy or prices of oil don't matter.

Canada has always been pretty bad at getting a job in your field.

Today, 10 or 20 years ago, job market in Canada was always hideous.

This is a hopeless country and anyone with half a brain would not struggle in Canada.

There are always exceptions if you are specialized, but most university degrees offered in Canada are useless.

There is some hope if you are self employed, like I was.

Run away.

 

[number411]

The economy or prices of oil don't matter.

Canada has always been pretty bad at getting a job in your field.

Today, 10 or 20 years ago, job market in Canada was always hideous.

This is a hopeless country and anyone with half a brain would not struggle in Canada.

There are always exceptions if you are specialized, but most university degrees offered in Canada are useless.

There is some hope if you are self employed, like I was.

Run away.

Any one who's seen your older posts will know that you always had this pretty exteme view. There's some truth in this of course because it's a small economy and jobs take time to get.

 

[mrbeachman]

So, there are 2-3 people here with numerous posts who always glorify a job situation in Canada. Why are their posts not extreme?

You said it is a small economy.

So, why come to a place like this to make a "career"?

Much better places in the world to do make a life for yourself.

Even during the oil boom very few people actually went to Calgary to make money. They all went overseas. Only desperate, uninformed and most likely scared individuals moved to Alberta. No one I know who left Canada is miserable overseas. However, a lot of people who move to Canada are.

 

[ttrajan]

Job wise it is hopeless country. Most of my friends left Canada last year after layoffs and could not able to find jobs in Canada.

 

[number411]

So, there are 2-3 people here with numerous posts who always glorify a job situation in Canada. Why are their posts not extreme?

Now we are starting to discuss individual other forum members and it is not useful. I personally do not prefer discussing people and it is better we stick to impersonal topics such as jobs or economy of Canada. But since you asked, it is a language and communication thing. Your posts sound extreme because of the sharp language you use. The other 2-3 people, from whatever I've read, maybe use temperate language and soften / hedge their statements. We know that people who come to this forum are aspirants to immigrate and they want to hear good things. So it is a bit playing to the gallery as well. In general, people like positivity and also prefer sugar-coated negative statements as against conveying bad news in a blunt sharp language.

You said it is a small economy.

So, why come to a place like this to make a "career"?

Much better places in the world to do make a life for yourself.

Individual preferences. We know many surgeons who migrate to Canada/Australia and compromise their career, for whatever reason, some of those being, their children's education and life, predictable government systems and whatever. Not everyone who immigrate can be broadbrushed as "desperate and uninformed".

No one I know who left Canada is miserable overseas. However, a lot of people who move to Canada are.

It your personal statement based on personal acquaintances. Others might have different experiences.

 

[Jalex23]

Thanks for this. I myself realized the folly of going by media articles. I am also observing social media. In this forum, aspirants want positive news. I am quite skeptical to focus only on positive news and I want to be more balanced. In Canadian media and in social websites, the general vibe is negative mostly because of currency and oil. But the infra spending plan seems to have infused some good news.

Canada is not an oil country, only Alberta's economy is oil-based, so oil hits Canada, but nothing serious.

As a personal note: people want good news, yes. Should you care? No. It is their problem. If you can help anyone clarifying their questions, by all means do it, if not just move along.

Even during the oil boom very few people actually went to Calgary to make money. They all went overseas. Only desperate, uninformed and most likely scared individuals moved to Alberta. No one I know who left Canada is miserable overseas. However, a lot of people who move to Canada are.

I was not desperate, nor uninformed, not scared.

I came here to study and got a job offered fresh out of college.

 

[mrbeachman]

Canada is not an oil country, only Alberta's economy is oil-based, so oil hits Canada, but nothing serious.

As a personal note: people want good news, yes. Should you care? No. It is their problem. If you can help anyone clarifying their questions, by all means do it, if not just move along.

I was not desperate, nor uninformed, not scared.

I came here to study and got a job offered fresh out of college.

If Canada is not an oil country can you please explain why does Canadian dollar move in relation to the price of oil?

 

[number411]

If Canada is not an oil country can you please explain why does Canadian dollar move in relation to the price of oil?

A few years ago, a delegation of Canadian politicians (John McCallum was in finance), went to London to educate the big forex giants (Lloyds, Rbs, DB etc) that Canada has more than just Oil and so they shouldn't drive down currency and correlate loonie with just oil. They continue to do so, because Oil has correlation with other commodities and they both together constitute about 20% of CA GDP. Oil alone is only 8-12%. I will add sources when I get to my computer.

Forex markets correlate loonie with oil prices and we know they overreact.