Canadian work visa holders can struggle to find relevant work

February 25 2010 by Liam Clifford

According to a report from Statistics Canada, skilled immigrants are struggling to find work in Canada, within their field of expertise.

Just 25% of Canadian immigrants who were educated overseas are working in the teaching, law and medical occupations for which they are qualified. However, the rates vary widely by industry. The outlook is best for the medical profession, in which 56% of overseas-educated nurses and doctors found roles that suited their qualifications. The ‘match rate’ for those who studied teaching was 24%, compared with just 12% for law graduates.

The data is based on an analysis of 284,000 foreign-educated Canadian nationals who were employed in Canada in 2006. Statistics Canada studied the ‘match rates’ between immigrants with degrees that would usually lead to work in regulated occupations, and the jobs they were actually doing. Regulated occupations are defined as those governed by regulatory or professional associations and requiring specific credentials to practise.

Clement Seyi, 35, worked as a chief accountant at a large forestry and wood-processing company in his native Cameroon before he moved to Canada last year. However, he has experienced problems securing a job in his field: "When I moved here, I set up my resume but I noticed that it doesn't fit with some requirements," he said. “One thing I noticed is that when you don't have any experience (working in Canada), it's one barrier. I think that's what I need." Seyi is currently working as a volunteer accountant for a friend's business to gain experience working in Canada.

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