Refugees: Myths and Facts #9
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Myth #9 Refugees take Canadian jobs
The facts: Not surprisingly the rate of unemployment among refugees is higher than Canadian born workers, especially in the first period after their arrival in Canada. This is partly because they fled their country at short notice and were thus unable to make plans for their future employment and to take diplomas and proof of work experience with them. On top of this their training and diplomas are only recognized in Canada 15% of the time, so for example, an engineer from Syria or Eritrea is not likely to take a job away from a Canadian engineer.[i] Due to these circumstances, many well-qualified refugees are employed in jobs with poor working conditions and low pay. These are jobs that many Canadians are refusing: service industry jobs, farm work, slaughterhouse work, taxi driving, etc.
[i] “L’intégration linguistique et professionnelle des immigrants non francophones à Montréal”, Conseil supérieur de la langue française, Septembre 2011 http://www.cslf.gouv.qc.ca/publications/pubf315/f315.pdf; Also: ‘’Recognition of the Foreign Qualifications of Immigrants.’’ Library of Parliament Background Paper. Sandra Elgersma, revised 2012. https://lop.parl.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/2004-29-e.pdf
The facts: Not surprisingly the rate of unemployment among refugees is higher than Canadian born workers, especially in the first period after their arrival in Canada. This is partly because they fled their country at short notice and were thus unable to make plans for their future employment and to take diplomas and proof of work experience with them. On top of this their training and diplomas are only recognized in Canada 15% of the time, so for example, an engineer from Syria or Eritrea is not likely to take a job away from a Canadian engineer.[i] Due to these circumstances, many well-qualified refugees are employed in jobs with poor working conditions and low pay. These are jobs that many Canadians are refusing: service industry jobs, farm work, slaughterhouse work, taxi driving, etc.
[i] “L’intégration linguistique et professionnelle des immigrants non francophones à Montréal”, Conseil supérieur de la langue française, Septembre 2011 http://www.cslf.gouv.qc.ca/publications/pubf315/f315.pdf; Also: ‘’Recognition of the Foreign Qualifications of Immigrants.’’ Library of Parliament Background Paper. Sandra Elgersma, revised 2012. https://lop.parl.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/2004-29-e.pdf