For years, Canada has been attracting immigrants as the safer, more cultured, and hospitable neighbor of the United States. Just in the last decade, hundreds of thousands have left their home countries and settled in Canada in search for real democracy, greater respect of human rights and better living conditions. And while Canada has lived up to its image with regards to the first two of these promises, it has failed to provide the goods on the third one, turning the dreams for prosperity of many immigrants into a constant struggle to put bread on the table.
When I recently talked to an acquaintance of mine, Vasil Rodolyuboff, an immigrant from Eastern Europe, who arrived with his family three years ago and established himself in Montreal, he had this to say on the topic, ‘You know, when I first came to Canada, I really hoped for much better life than the one I had before. I had a university degree in Medicine and for ten years, I worked at a hospital in my hometown. So, I had work experience and thought I would get a job almost immediately. It might not be a job at the high-pay end, but one in my specialty.’
However, things did not turn his way. ‘I applied here and there,’ he keeps retelling the story of the immigrant, ‘but they all refused to recognize my degree and couldn’t hire me. Finally, I found this job (a luggage handler at the Montreal-Trudeau airport) and I am still there’. When I inquired if Canada has lived up to his expectations, he replied thus, ‘You know, it is not what I expected. I wanted to be a doctor, to help patients and feel rewarded. But what I have now is still better than my life in my home country.’
Similar is the story of many newcomers in the country, and you all probably know people like Mr. Rodolyuboff, who arrive in Canada well-educated and full of professional ambitions but settle for menial work, if any, and mundane existence. Actually, the results from recent studies on the topic come to confirm that such is the fate of the majority of immigrants with post-secondary degrees.
For example, a new survey published in Muchmor Magazine has revealed that the unemployment rate among university-trained immigrants is 12.1 percent which is rather steep compared to the 3 percent of unemployed Canadians who hold diplomas from higher education institutions. Furthermore, most of the foreign graduates who work cannot claim to be employed in their field of study due to educational constrains that limit their chances to find work in their field. What’s worse, the introduction of relevant reforms would require the involvement of the professional orders and would thus cost millions of taxpayer dollars. Therefore, the government has been reluctant to make major changes in its policy towards immigrants, a policy which can be summed up with the unofficial slogan ‘Love it or leave it’.
So, what is it that Mr. Rodolyuboff and the other immigrants will do? It is difficult to speak for all and, actually, quite unfair, but here is his response when I asked him if he felt disillusioned with the present state of affairs: ‘You know what, yes, I am quite disappointed but my kids’ life is here – Canada has become their new fatherland. I just cannot take it away from them.’
{ 0 comments }
