Yasmina2005

Yes, why are they scared of highly educated immigrants even if these immigrants got their degress from Europe (e.g. England)? Please note that the Canadian government accept the immigration applications of these people based on their education-The Skilled Worker category. But once they are in Canada, it's a different story?!!

Could this UBC study be one of the answers!!!
Job applicants with foreign names have lesser chance for interviews: UBC study

1st link is an interview with the UBC professor who conducted the study:

http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/bc/ondem...-INTERVIEW.wmv
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...job-study.html
http://www.cbc.ca/bc/news/bc-090520-...names-jobs.pdf

=============

Another study by the Statistics Canada:

Degree-holding immigrants less likely to find work

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...718?hub=Canada

ann m

Before looking at any of your links, my first question is ... "In Canada, what is a foreign name?" !!!

And look at link three to find an answer ... research completed with thanks to the following people ....

" awesome research assistance from Amit Dhand, Wei Gong, Adam Kowalczewski, Chris-Ann Monteiro, Monica Pu, and Ayaz Warraich.
I also thank Joana Lahey .... and Rishi Aurora for computing service support. I am grateful to Marianne Bertrand Tarek Hussain, Dan-olof Rooth, Katherine Laird," blah, blah, blah .....

Not a John Martin, or Alison Smith in sight

In the meantime, I am not surprised by the findings.

Almost Canadian

How many Smiths, Joneses or Fitzpatricks find jobs "easily" in Afghanistan (excepting those that are employed by foreign military services?

Get over it

Yasmina2005

Only 3 countries have proactive immigration programs to attract qualified immigrants: Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

So, we should not compare Canada which invites people to come in with countries that do not even have immigration policies to begin with.

Yasmina2005

Usually, research assistants are students (and not in the job market). Besides, we do not know how many of these research assistants are Canadian residents or foreign students who will leave Canada after graduation...

Please note when it comes to accepting overseas students in Universities, it does not matter whether these students bear English sounding names or otherwise because these students bring money to the country. So, it is OK to welcome them. But once they graduate and look for a job, it is a different story even if they are awared Canadian residency during their studies. Then, the nature of their names matters very much.

ann m

I understand what you are saying - but that list of names could just have easily been the student register of my daughter's Grade 5 class ....

triumphguy

We've all got foreign sounding names.

Unless your name is Little-child, Crow-child, Shot-both-sides, Born-with-a-Tooth, or Wolf-leg you've got a foreign name.

It's not just the degree either - it's relevant work experience and facility with language that counts.

I have a Law Degree from London, and despite the fact that some of my profs had written the text books they use in Calgary I would have had to re-do my degree (using those same texts). It's just the way it is.

On the other hand I have met many engineers from India, Africa, and Eastern Europe who are gainfully and appropriately employed here in Calgary.

Also my family doctor is from Africa and I can honestly say he's the best family doctor I've ever had. He told me he experienced far more discrimination in Africa from fellow Africans than he ever received here.

Yasmina2005

There are many Canadian residents who were students in Canadian Universities (which means they have no language problem) with job placement (internship) in Canadian companies during their studies and yet once they graduated, they were jobless.

Yasmina2005

That is true. But, these are exceptions to the epidemic general situation of highly educated immigrants being denied jobs across the whole Canada as recognized in the study conducted by Statistics Canada.

As the saying goes: "Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps."
(a swallow does not herald the coming of spring)

So, few positive anecdotes here and there cannot cover up the overwhelming reality of the skilled immigrants in Canada.

triumphguy

Ya don't see that much here in Calgary.

Or you didn't, now half the city is on edge.

ExKiwilass

I have no idea why skilled immigrants get the short shaft. My experience is it's not much different in NZ and Australia. People like that 'insert name of country here' experience, it's not just a Canadian thing.

Yasmina2005

The commun thing between these countries (Canada, NZ and OZ) is that they were all part of the British Empire

The UK has moved forward as part of the European Union whereas these three countries are still caught in a time warp...

phat-dave

I'll comment from an Aussie prospective.... my experience with foreigners from non western society (in a customer facing environment), is they typically find it more difficult to adapt to their new surrounds and they are difficult to work with as they have great skills on paper but find it difficult to work practically and communicate effectively.

For roles that are behind the scenes or back office - these guys are fantastic, theyre hard working and their analytical skills are generally very solid.

Overall the perceived inability to adapt is why employers won't/don't take a punt on foreigners - unfortunately.

MikeUK

It more to do with protectionism

And it’s common throughout, if they want to protect their job market and relevance of their own governing bodies, methods, etc then expect to need to re-qualify
If the employer is desperate for the knowledge and doesn’t give a sh1t about if you’re in the governing body, associate member ship etc then non-Canadian qualifications count just as well

So if you’re and engineer then depending on your area of expertise then you might have to re-sit or join

A scientist, walk right in

A lawyer or doctor, even though you may be better than most here, you have to start from scratch that is unless you are the expert in your field

Butch Cassidy

Yasmina, get off your high horse and read the damn study again. It matters not wether you are an immigrant or a resident.

The study STATES that it is your name not place of birth that is the barrier, in other words if you are born in Vancouver and have the name Ahmed Farouk you are far less likely to gain employment than if you were born in Australia and carried the name Charles Wong who in turn would be less likely to gain employment than Joseph Smith who was born in Hong Kong.