How to Overcome Job Search Challenges As a New Immigrant in Canada

As a new immigrant in Canada, you may face job search obstacles. However, there are steps you can take to boost your prospects of finding employment here.

One of the major employment barriers faced by immigrants is a lack of Canadian work experience. Other issues such as having credentials recognized and language issues may also pose challenges.

1. Lack of Language Skills

Language proficiency is essential for the economic and social integration of newcomers. It increases productivity, gives access to higher-paying jobs, and allows a smoother integration into the host country. Unfortunately, many immigrants lack language proficiency.

After migration, several factors can impact an immigrant’s language acquisition: family composition, location in the host country, and length of stay. Accordingly, incentives for language learning differ based on these conditions.

Studies involving microdata for Germany, the US, and Canada demonstrate that individual and parental educational attainment is positively correlated with achieved levels of language proficiency; however other proxies such as age, sex, nationality, and personality also play a role.

2. Lack of Experience

New immigrants often face the difficulty of not possessing enough Canadian experience to be hired by local employers, which can prove frustrating and disheartening.

But if you know how to tackle this obstacle, there are numerous opportunities for you to gain the experience necessary for landing your first job in Canada.

One way to accomplish this is by narrowing your search down to entry-level positions. These jobs don’t necessitate years of professional experience, but still demand strong skills and knowledge.

These jobs can be found on job platforms such as LinkedIn.

You can take advantage of bridging programs and employment centers for newcomers that assist you in building your network and acquiring Canadian work experience necessary to gain employment in Canada. Furthermore, some resources may offer free mentoring as well. By taking advantage of these resources, you greatly increase your likelihood of finding employment and success on the Canadian labour market.

3. Cultural Differences

Immigrating to Canada can be an unsettling experience, requiring you to adapt to a different culture and way of life. Although this might seem daunting at first glance, it doesn’t have to be.

As you adjust to Canadian society, you may encounter obstacles when looking for work that matches your qualifications and abilities. Many immigrants and newcomers struggle with finding positions that make full use of their knowledge and capabilities.

Comparing to Canadian-born individuals, a significantly higher proportion of immigrants had more positive perceptions of democratic values such as human rights, gender equality, linguistic duality, ethnic and cultural diversity and respect for Indigenous culture. This difference was especially marked among recent arrivals who had particularly favorable perceptions of shared values; however this difference was present even among established immigrants.

4. Lack of Networking

One of the primary obstacles new immigrants encounter when searching for a job is lack of networking. As such, they may not be aware of Canada’s hidden job market or how to access it effectively.

Networking can be a valuable asset when seeking new employment opportunities, particularly as an immigrant with international experience and expertise. But it is essential to be specific about your objectives and target employers when networking, rather than simply asking for information or leads without specificity.

If you want to make an impact on the Canadian job market, you need to learn how to network and build a strong network of connections that can help you find suitable positions here. It takes more effort and nerve than traditional online searches but is much more successful at providing quality employment opportunities.