Interim Report on the Employment and Credentialing Barriers Study The Professional-Level Immigrants Survey

The purpose of this report is to understand the information that was shared by professional-level immigrants in Brandon, Manitoba through their participation in an online survey they completed between November and December 2022. This interim report is the first report to be generated from the larger study that aims to address concerns with credentialing, ensure equity in the recruitment/employment process, and identify the supports that are required to build bridges between the immigrant professional population and local employers. Employers in Brandon have recently indicated shortages of qualified applicants for several professional level positions and many qualified immigrants are faced with challenges of finding suitable employment. Research has shown that the years of schooling and work experience that migrants accumulated before arrival in Canada are often not recognized and/or valued (Ferrer & Riddell, 2008; Guo, 2009; Kanu, 2008; Li, 2008). In fact, well educated immigrant professionals learn to ‘deskill’ their previous learning and work experience after arriving in Canada (Grant & Nadin, 2007; Guo, 2009; Li, 2008). Many immigrants lack the background, connections, and support to navigate the Canadian labour market. As a result, immigrants are finding it difficult to find appropriate jobs in their field while they get stuck in low paying jobs (Ferrer & Riddell, 2008; Guo, 2009; Kanu, 2008). The initial findings from the professional level immigrant surveys provides insight into their experiences and needs and suggests implications for Westman Immigrant Services (WIS).