The dominant discourse in Korea is that Canada is a multicultural country wherein no racial discrimination exists. This significantly contributes to making Canada their first choice of destination. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers faced by Korean skilled immigrants in the Canadian labour. This thesis presents the findings of a qualitative study. Six participants were interviewed, who have lived in Canada for at least three, and using a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews were conducted in Korean, transcribed and later translated for analysis. Critical Race Theory and Democratic Racism were used as theoretical frameworks. This informed a critical review of major theoretical concepts, data collection and analysis. The findings indicate that structural exclusion was a significant barrier faced by the participants. Structural exclusion includes lack of recognition of international knowledge; conventional hiring practice in Canada; accented English; and settlement services not meeting the needs of skilled immigrants. Also, it was found that as their state of unemployment or underemployment continued for a long time, they experienced loss of identity and low self-esteem. Furthermore, how they respond to such exclusion was too a significant finding. While some of the participants sought to take additional Canadian education in order to overcome the barriers, others gave up efforts to integrate into the mainstream or were planning to go back to Korea. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

This dissertation explores connections between the labour market experiences of skilled middle-class immigrants in Canada, and their civic engagement in both sending and receiving countries. My work expands scholarship by delving into the ways that the criteria of social distinction, such as gender, race, immigrant status, and class, and the internalized roles, values, and norms passed down over generations shape citizenship practice. I argue that there is a link between inclusion and the possibilities offered through civic engagement, in that the struggle for inclusion is also a struggle for the recognition of resources that are valued as markers of valued members of society. This research engaged with a theoretical orientation that required synthesizing various forms of social structures that shape societies. Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice offered an alternative perspective on the use of assets in order to retain or improve social positioning, and the use of networks and civic engagement as a form of capital that can also serve to influence one’s place in society. Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were used to gather information regarding the experiences of skilled Jamaican immigrants involved in ethnic-based organizations that support economic, social, and infrastructural development projects in Jamaica and organizations that focus on the socio-economic well-being of the black community in Canada. This research shows that the processes of migration and (re)settlement have implications for the ways ideologies and social relations shift across space. I found that historically-shaped values, ideals, and norms associated with the development of a middle-class identity informed the ways the participants responded to barriers in the labour market, and changes in socio-economic status. Responses to changed socio-economic positioning through civic engagement were found to be based on gendered relations, the recognition and experiences of racism, and political attitude towards Jamaica, and relied on familiar strategies of the uses of social and cultural capitals to retain and/or improve their middle-class positions. This process of negotiation revealed the complex ways that middle-class(ness) is produced and reproduced across territories, and the implications for civic participation not only in Canada, but also in support of Jamaican development. / Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2014-01-29 20:12:27.959

This study explores whether and how skilled Chinese immigrants can contribute to New Zealand's knowledge society and economy with their knowledge and skills. As New Zealand is moving towards a knowledge society and economy, the attraction of skilled migrants is one of the critical strategies in maintaining its competitive advantages. However, the results of the socioeconomic integration of new skilled migrants always lead to debates on the real role of skilled migrants in New Zealand's society and economy. This study uses multiple research strategies combining analyses of historical and statistical materials, and a case study with fourteen interviews conducted with new Chinese immigrants, who came from Mainland China after 1990 and are living and working in Christchurch, to explore the relationships between these 'descendents of the dragon' and New Zealand's knowledge society and economy. Through these strategies, the study shows the role of knowledge in the emergence of New Zealand's knowledge society and economy, the value placed on knowledge and skills in New Zealand immigration policies and the change in the Chinese community with the growing demand for skilled migrants. It argues that tacit knowledge is not separated from but interactive with explicit knowledge through cultural values, social networks and structures, and interpersonal relationships. Therefore, in the process surrounding the entry of new skilled Chinese immigrants into New Zealand society, the knowledge economy is not exclusively economic but socially and culturally conditioned; and the knowledge society is not universal but diversified and interdependent.

No description available.

This thesis project examined underemployment at the state and national levels. Underemployment is the inability of highly skilled migrants with degrees from their home countries to enter the workforce in the receiving country. Pending and enacted legislation was analyzed at the state level to determine in which ways the state of Oregon can implement similar policies to effectively incorporate underemployed immigrants into the state workforce. This project utilized primary data sources at the state and federal level, migrant interviews were used as illustrations of the barriers that exist for underemployed migrants, and secondary data sources from the fields of economics, social sciences, political sciences, and population studies were utilized to provide an understanding of how underemployment is addressed at the national level. Overall, my research found underemployed professional migrants are greatly underutilized, which translates into missed economic opportunities for individual migrants and for the United States as a whole.

With the recent influx of foreign-born individuals migrating to Sweden, this study aims to answer the question, “do high skilled foreign-born individuals relate positively to average wages in Sweden?”. We specifically observe high skilled foreign-born individuals and their contribution to the average wage across different municipalities in Sweden between the years 2011 and 2018. The method carried out in this study consisted of an empirical analysis where the significance of economic factors was interpreted in order to understand the variation in wages. The data was extracted from Statistics Sweden. The relationship of the share of highly educated foreign-born individuals has proved to be insignificant with respect to average wages in Sweden. Different theories are discussed in this paper in order to identify the key labour market outcomes due to the labour supply shock. Our findings disclose that differences in wages are present, meaning that natives and foreign-born individuals are complements in the short run

The aim of this study was two-fold: firstly, it attempted to focus on the earnings of foreign-born STEM professionals in the U.S. workforce to examine whether this population was at an earning disadvantage compared to the U.S. citizens. Secondly, it aimed to investigate whether legal status acquisition (from temporary work visas to permanent residency) enhanced the earnings of foreign-born STEM professionals in the U.S. workforce. This study utilized a mixed-methods (QUAN/QUAL) research design. ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance) was used to test the hypothesis in order to determine any statistically significant differences between the group means. Secondary data from the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) was utilized for this study. The results of the ANCOVA test showed that temporary worker visa holders were not at earning advantage/disadvantage compared to the U.S. citizens, and there was no statistical evidence that legal status acquisition enhanced the salaries of the foreign-born STEM professionals in the U.S. workforce. The interviews indicated that foreign-born STEM professionals (temporary worker visa holders, LPRs, and naturalized U.S. citizens) were not at earning disadvantage compared to their U.S.-born counterparts. Although the legal status change did not enhance the salaries of the skilled immigrants, it did improve job mobility and overall flexibility.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the personal, cultural and structural experiences and barriers faced by highly skilled Canadian university graduate immigrants regarding finding a good job related to their qualification in the labour market, and how this struggle has shaped their lives. Data was collected through individuals by semi-structured questionnaires. Interviews were the deep source of skilled immigrants’ experiences and problems they have faced in the labour market. Applying the critical race theory perspective and using the Thompson PCS Model as investigating tool, this study sought to capture the participants’ reality. The findings suggest that immigrants are facing many structural and systemic barriers and racial discrimination in the labour market. It is affecting them not only individually but also affecting their families and because of that these skilled immigrants have a plan to leave Canada for better job opportunities because even after graduating from Canadian universities they were unable to find work according to their field of study and work experience. Major themes emerging from this research include: why skilled immigrants pursued more education if they were already graduated from their home countries; immigration policies and labour market policies mismatch; non-recognition of immigrants credentials and work experience; inadequate settlement services; racial discrimination in job market; and what difference they feel before and after graduating from Canadian university in finding a job. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

Orientadora: Profa. Dra. Marilda Aparecida de Menezes / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Humanas e Sociais, 2017. / O requerimento da experiência canadense é uma barreira que dificulta o acesso do imigrante qualificado a empregos com nível de qualificação equivalente. Inicialmente tomada como uma experiência de trabalho no Canadá ela demonstra ser um termo polissêmico diante dos diversos âmbitos em que se insere. Tomamos como objetivo desta pesquisa compreender de que forma a experiência canadense influencia na inserção dos imigrantes qualificados brasileiros no Canadá. Estabelecemos como objetivos específicos: contextualizar o campo em que se dá a experiência canadense; investigar o que é a experiência canadense para os imigrantes qualificados brasileiros no Canadá; e compreender a dinâmica em que o fenômeno da experiência canadense ocorre. A metodologia desta pesquisa se concentrou na pesquisa bibliográfica e na pesquisa de campo, sendo esta constituída da aplicação de questionário e entrevistas. Para a análise de dados dos resultados do questionário utilizamos estatística descritiva simples e para as entrevistas fizemos uso da grounded theory. Partimos da hipótese que a experiência canadense mobiliza primordialmente o capital cultural do imigrante qualificado brasileiro no Canadá. Para elucidar o problema de pesquisa utilizamos os conceitos de capital, habitus e campo de Bourdieu. Como resultados obtivemos que a experiência canadense atua como um processo de desvalorização e diferenciação dos imigrantes em diversos parâmetros, de maneira implícita e sutil. Caracterizando-a como o requerimento de um capital cultural que acaba por impor seu próprio tempo, não respeitando assim o processo de aquisição individual e gerando um habitus. Desta forma a experiência canadense acaba ferindo a proposta de multiculturalismo e integração canadense construída pelo país, apresentando um campo que vai além do mercado de trabalho no Canadá. / The Canadian experience requirement is a barrier that hinders skilled immigrants access to comparable qualifying jobs. Initially taken as a work experience in Canada, it proves to be a polysemyc term in front of the various values in which it is inserted. Based on that, this research aims to understand how the Canadian experience influences the insertion of qualified Brazilian immigrants in Canada. We set specific objectives: contextualize the field in which the Canadian experience takes place; investigate what is the Canadian experience for qualified Brazilian immigrants; and understand the dynamics in which this phenomenon occurs. The methodology used in this research was bibliography and field research, which consists of applying a questionnaire on the internet and interviews. To analyze the data gathered through the questionnaires we used simple descriptive statistics and to analyze the interviews we used grounded theory. The main hypothesis is that Canadian experience main function is to primarily mobilize the cultural capital of qualified Brazilian immigrants. To elucidate the research problem, it is used Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of capital, habitus and field. As a result, we concluded that Canadian experience acts as a process of devaluation and differentiation of immigrants in several parameters, implicitly and subtly. It is characterized as a requirement of a cultural capital that imposes its time and does not respect the process of individual acquisition, generating a habitus. We have found that the Canadian experience hurts the multiculturalism and integration proposal built by Canada, presenting a field that goes beyond the Canadian labor market.

Given the reality of a diverse and multicultural workplace in Canada, and the benefits of inclusion for both employees and employers, it is reasonable for employers to consider the inclusion of immigrants. This study explored (a) skilled immigrants’ perceptions of inclusion in an energy company in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, (b) what these perceptions revealed about the diversity climate in the workplace, and (c) how these perceptions could inform and challenge the inclusion practices in the company. Eighteen participants were interviewed in-depth to determine their perceptions of a number of indicators of inclusion. The participants identified that communication (language and culture-specific communication styles), relationships, and organizational practices were salient in their experiences. Immigrants who had previous relevant work experience in the country reported the most positive experiences. The climate of the company led to strong perceptions of satisfaction and belonging, but low perceptions of fairness and equity. Suggestions for the company to improve its diversity and inclusion climate included attending to the experiences and development of women, contractors, and immigrants who are new to Canada or the company. Recommendations included initiatives to support relationships amongst employees, intercultural training and support for internationally educated professionals and Canadian colleagues including leaders, and talent management that would result in more cultural diversity at the senior leadership levels of the company.