Life in Canada is not as advertised; a look at immigration insecurity in Canada

BY OMNIYA ALI

Canada opened its doors to immigration in 1869. Although back then highly discriminated through race, ethnicity, and national origin, it has evolved over the years towards a more multicultural approach. 153 years later how much has the immigrant experience improved?

According to a new national survey conducted by Leger on behalf of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), 20% of young immigrants plan on leaving in the next two years. The findings produced from this survey-shed light upon issues only immigrants are aware of, as it appears.

“Canada is a nation of immigrants, and one of the stories we tell ourselves is that we are welcoming to new immigrants, wherever they may be from,” says ICC CEO Daniel Bernhard. “But while this may be generally true, new survey data points to the fact that many new Canadians are having a crisis of confidence in Canada and that should be ringing alarm bells all over Ottawa.”

Survey findings include:

• 30% of 18-34-year-old new Canadians and 23% of university-educated new Canadians say they are likely to move to another country in the next two years
• While most Canadians and new immigrant Canadians alike believe that Canada provides immigrants with a good quality of life, Canadians have a much more positive outlook on Canada’s immigration policy compared to new Canadian immigrants
• New Canadian immigrants are more likely to believe that Canadians don’t understand the challenges that immigrants face and feel the rising cost of living will make immigrants less likely to stay in Canada
• Immigrants with university degrees tend to have less favourable opinions on matters related to fair job opportunity and pay than other immigrants
• Among those who would not recommend Canada as a place to live, current leadership and the high cost of living were the top two reasons

Bernhard proceeds to explain that one of the largest factors driving people away is that the hardships attached to settling in as an immigrant are not accurately advertised. “We need to do a better job pre-arrival of telling people what they’re going to need to do to qualify to work in the job market here. We need to give them a clearer picture of what to expect so they can prepare for it and adjust.”

Anyone that has immigrated to Canada can tell you that life here has always been advertised as simpler than back home. They move here with the expectation that they’ll have a more stable life. They’re promised jobs better than the ones they had, better incomes, better social lives and so on. Bernhard explains that the screening process for immigration to Canada is inflexible and demanding, subsequently the ones that make it through are brilliant individuals. They are doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, software developers; they’re very successful, which is a requirement for them to immigrate to Canada. So, if their applications get accepted, and they’re promised jobs and a better life, why don’t they receive them? Why are they not accounted for when looking at the job market?

Bernhard believes that these individuals are integral to our society and the government needs to see what they’re missing by not meeting their needs. “Talent and knowledge are the big commodities of economic advantage today and employers leave that stuff on the side-line to their peril. I think we need to start pointing out to employers what they’re missing because it’s a huge disadvantage.”