Qualitative Report on the Employment and Credentialing Barriers Study

This project was possible through the support and generosity of Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Brandon University, Centre for Aboriginal and Rural Education Studies (CARES), and Westman Immigrant Services (WIS).

The purpose of this qualitative report is to understand the experiences of the professional level immigrants in Brandon, Manitoba through their participation in interviews that were conducted between November and December 2022.

This report is the second 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 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 findings from the professional level immigrant interviews provides insight into their experiences and needs and suggests implications for employers, Manitoba government, and Westman Immigrant Services (WIS).