3 Key Lessons From Canada’s Recent Study on Immigrant Workers

Key Takeaways

• Statistics Canada released new data about how recent immigrants who landed in Canada in 2018 and 2019 are faring in Canada’s labour market. 
• Coming to Canada as a Federal Skilled Worker or through the Canadian Experience Class is associated with higher likelihood of obtaining skilled work. 
• Those who immigrate through Canada’s family class or as a refugee are more likely to work in lower skilled positions. 
• US education is extremely highly regarded in Canada. 
• Getting licensed to work in regulated professions in Canada, such as nursing, can take time. But the data shows that nurses who immigrated to Canada have good employment prospects once licensed.

Canadian Experience Predicts Better Employment Opportunities

It has been said in earlier research, but those who complete two-step immigration processes (by working as a temporary foreign worker in Canada before becoming a permanent resident) tend to have better long-term economic outcomes in Canada. This new research further supports this position, with the new data showing that those who held a work permit prior to becoming a permanent resident being more likely to work in skilled roles in Canada. 

This isn’t surprising. Canadian employers like to see Canadian experience, and it’s a common story for newcomers to take a lower skilled position initially and then work their way up – even if it’s a step backwards career-wise initially. 

As a quick aside here, those who came through the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) class in Express Entry also had higher representation in professional and management positions. Meanwhile, immigrants who came through the PNP class via Express Entry had more equal representation across all skill levels (except unskilled work). This isn’t surprising given that PNPs do have programs for lower skilled occupations. 

More Temporary Residents in Semi-Skilled Occupations

Workers in semi-skilled positions, such as construction and trades roles, tended to be either Canadian-born or in Canada on temporary status. 

Again, Statistics Canada didn’t provide further information about this – but we note that this may be because it can be challenging to transition from semi-skilled work to permanent residence through Canada’s Express Entry program. We are wondering if information and data like this contributed to Canada’s decision to announce a dedicated pathway for semi-skilled workers that we anticipate will be formalized in the near term. 

Family Class & Refugees In Lower Skilled Positions

There is a higher proportion of those who immigrate to Canada through the family class and refugee class working in lower skilled positions than professional and management positions. The data shows that just 11% of refugees and 24.9% of family class immigrants were employed in management or professional roles. Meanwhile, almost 50% of recent immigrants who were working full-time in labouring roles came to Canada as refugees or via the family class. 

That being said, family class immigrants are increasingly working in lower skilled in-demand occupations in Canada, such as some transport truck driving roles, and health care roles, such as nurses aides. 

Interestingly, the number of family class and refugee immigrants working in lower skilled positions is higher even than the spouses and dependents of economic applicants. No reasons are provided for this in the data. However, we guess that this could be related to higher education levels of the partners of economic immigrants and/or access to their networks and opportunities through those connections. 

We’ve outlined that many opportunities in Canada present themselves through networks. It’s very much about who you know, not what you know. And connections to workers in higher skilled positions can open economic doors. 

You can learn more about networking in Canada here.

Action Items For Newcomers

Consider working in Canada temporarily, if you can

If you have the opportunity to come to Canada as a temporary worker and gain Canadian experience before becoming a permanent resident, it’s worth considering. This isn’t the right pathway for everyone (and there are plenty of people working in skilled occupations who did not come to Canada through a two-step process), but the research is worth considering as part of your strategy.

Common pathways for this include temporary work permits through an LMIA (though these are currently restricted due to higher unemployment rates in Canada), as well as LMIA-exempt occupations, including International Experience Canada, and study permits.  

Higher education opens doors for skilled work

While the data is showing us that a higher proportion of immigrants who come to Canada through economic classes are working in higher skilled roles, we don’t think that the immigration program matters as much as education and work experience.  

Your individual traits and your ability to adapt to the Canadian job market also play a role in your success in Canada – it’s not just about how you got here. So, it’s best to focus on improving your skills and gaining work experience, however you can, to prepare for the Canadian market – and your immigration program can just be a means to an end. 

Consider studying in Canada or the US

People (including Canadian-born, newcomers and temporary residents) who studied in Canada and the US were the most likely to work in professional and management positions in Canada. Interestingly, those who studied in the US were more likely to hold these positions than those who studied in Canada, highlighting that Canadian employers may hold US-study experience in very high regard. 

Another interesting finding is that those who studied their highest level of education in India, Northern and Western Europe, and other developed English-speaking countries also tended to work in management and professional occupations in Canada.