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ABSTRACT
In this article, we demonstrate that the ambiguity of foreign credentials allows prejudice to affect the evaluation of the qualifications held by visible minority immigrants. The implications of this work and strategies for more fully utilizing the skills that visible minority immigrants bring with them to Canada are presented.
Does prejudice against visible minorities play a role in the assessment of immigrants' qualifications and credentials in Canada? This question is important to address because of the high, and increasing, proportion of visible minority immigrants who are admitted into Canada each year on the basis of their qualifications, the evidence that visible minority immigrants are faring particularly badly in the Canadian labour market, and recent reports by visible minorities that they experience high levels of discrimination in Canada. In this article, we provide background information on the employment experiences of immigrants to Canada (and, in particular, on visible minority immigrants), explain why prejudice is especially likely to play a role in the assessment of the foreign-acquired qualifications of visible minority immigrants, and then describe the research we have conducted that specifically examines how visible minority status and prejudice affect the evaluation of immigrants' qualifications and credentials. We conclude by discussing the implications of our work, and suggest strategies for more fully utilizing the skills that visible minority immigrants bring to Canada.
The employment of Immigrants In Canada
In recent years, the majority of immigrants to Canada have been admitted in the "economic class," for which skill-based selection criteria are employed (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2006). The Canadian economy increasingly relies on these immigrants in an effort to fill labour shortages that threaten its global competitiveness. Recently, immigrants have accounted for over 70% of labour force growth in Canada, and now comprise about 20% of the total work force (Statistics Canada, 2004). In turn, success in the labor market and perceptions of equal treatment are crucial for immigrants' economic and psychological well-being. The skill-based selection criteria that allowed them to immigrate to Canada create an expectation among immigrants that they will be able to use these skills once in Canada.
Despite the importance of immigrant participation in the Canadian labour force, the integration of immigrant employees is slow and suboptimal. Immigrants to Canada experience...