Breaking The Barriers: Addressing Discrimination and Racism for Immigrants By Ibraheem Arif
Breaking The Barriers: Addressing Discrimination and Racism for Immigrants in the Canadian Job Market
By Ibraheem Arif | For Ms. Walling’s Blog Spot | Posted January 20th, 2023 | 10:12 AM
Canadians hold posters rejecting racism & discrimination (Ibraheem Arif/Shutterstock)
Immigration has been a distinguishing aspect of Canada for decades, with individuals and families from all over the world choosing to make this country their home. Despite the numerous benefits that immigrants bring to Canada, they frequently encounter considerable barriers when finding and maintaining employment. Racism and discrimination in the workplace are two of the most significant challenges that immigrants encounter when looking for employment.
According to statistics, immigrants in Canada are more likely to be unemployed than native-born Canadians. According to the Public Policy Forum's research "Employment Gaps: Immigrants in Canada," published in January 2020, immigrants suffer a 17 percentage point employment gap, with just over 60% of immigrants being employed compared to 77% of Canadian-born individuals. Immigrants are also more likely to be underemployed, and many of them are in fields that do not match their education or skills.
Racism and prejudice are notable contributors to the employment gap. According to the study "Racism and Discrimination of Migrant Workers in Canada: Evidence and Literature," published in 2021 by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, immigrants and visible minorities face systemic discrimination in the labour market, with employers frequently holding negative stereotypes and biases that lead to fewer job opportunities and lower wages for these groups. Furthermore, many immigrants encounter linguistic challenges and cultural shock. In addition to that, the lack of recognition for foreign credentials makes the employment gap even worse.
Additionally, the study discovered that migrant workers in Canada are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and racism. Many immigrants experience workplace discrimination and trouble getting fair wages and working conditions.
The CBC report "Opinion: Saskatchewan racism is nothing new" supports this study by highlighting racist views towards immigrants in the province and how it affects their ability to find employment.
More needs to be done to combat discrimination and racism in the workplace for immigrants in Canada. To address these challenges, the Canadian government has implemented anti-racism measures, increased funding for settlement services, and recognised foreign credentials. However, more has to be done to guarantee that all immigrants have equal access to work opportunities and that businesses that engage in discriminatory practices are held accountable.
To recap, the employment gap for immigrants in Canada is a major issue that is heavily driven by workplace racism and discrimination. It is critical that the government, employers, and society as a whole take action to resolve these issues and create a society more inclusive and equitable for all.
Works Cited
Dawson, Fabian. “Immigration Canada Acts to End Racism, Cultural Bias among Employees.” Thestar.com, 1 Apr. 2022, www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/04/01/immigration-canada-acts-to-end-racism-cultural-bias-among-employees.html. Accessed 15 Jan. 2023.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “Racism, Discrimination and Migrant Workers in Canada: Evidence from the Literature.” Www.canada.ca, 18 July 2022, www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/reports-statistics/research/racism-discrimination-migrant-workers-canada-evidence-literature.html.
Ng, Eddy, and Suzanne Gagnon. Employment Gaps: Immigrants in Canada. Jan. 2020,
Waiser, Bill. “Racism against Immigrants Is Nothing New in Saskatchewan, It Just Looks a Little Different.” CBC.ca, 20 Sept. 2019, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/opinion-waiser-saskatchewan-racism-nothing-new-1.5287365.
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