NICOLE WALL

With all of the programs and groups supposedly in place to ‘help’ immigrants achieve employment success in Canada, why do so many problems persist?

Nicole Wall of the Labour Education Centre acknowledges that many community-based organizations are interfacing with employers to identify the emerging needs of immigrants – skills, upgrading, system navigational tools, credential recognition – but believes Canadian employers are not responding as quickly as communities would like.

And those placement agencies that attempt to help recent immigrants find employment in their field? Wall suggests their services cater mostly to high-skill professional clients and not necessarily for lower skilled immigrants.

As for the Canadian labour movement, Wall believes it poses another sort of barrier for immigrants, often excluding them because of incompatible cultures and practices.

We need to foster a culture in the labour movement that not only creates opportunities for workers of colour, but then supports them [in facilitating change] at the top.