KAREN DIZON

Country of origin: Philippines
Arrival in Canada: 1990

How does a divorced single mother from the Philippines go about securing adequate employment in her professional field of accounting?

For two years, send out 100+ resumes a day and try not to be discouraged by this recurring response: ‘You need more Canadian experience’. Karen eventually took work as a dialysis assistant and in time, got a full-time job as a technical assistant at a Toronto hospital. Fifteen years after arriving in Canada, Karen says her ‘Canadian experience’ is far from what her credentials should have afforded her. She finds it ‘unfair’ that professionals arriving here who want to excel in their chosen field have such a hard time getting in the door. Despite having to start on a low rung in a different field, Karen has succeeded in helping her family, even putting her siblings through college. Her advice for other immigrants coming to Canada with dreams of a better life? “Know the hardships.”

Fifteen years after arriving in Canada, Karen says her ‘Canadian experience’ is far from what her credentials should have afforded her.