What's Wrong with This Picture?
March 08, 2007Consider these facts:
- For the fourth consecutive year, the Canadian economy is strong and vibrant.
- In many regions of Canada there are more jobs that pay well than there are people to work at them.
They say that "a rising tide carries all the ships" but that doesn't seem to be the case here. The reality is that Canada has well-paying jobs that go begging and eager economic immigrants, whose skills are being underutilized. Statistics show that it's taking longer for new economic immigrants to share in Canada's prosperity than it did for economic immigrants, who came to Canada 30 or 40 years ago.
Why should that be?
Conventional Canadian wisdom has it that the problem lies in a flawed immigration policy, which is a polite way of saying that the people to whom we have recently issued visas just aren't up to snuff. Talk about blaming the victim. The truth is that recent Canadian economic immigrants have the same or better qualifications than their earlier counterparts - so there's nothing inherently wrong with the immigration selection system.
Thirty years ago, economic immigrants were able to match the salaries of Canadian born workers faster than recent economic immigrants have been able to. What's changed?
In my opinion, what's changed is that recent economic immigrants are coming from different parts of the world than they did 30 years ago - areas where the population is not as fair-skinned. Immigrants who arrived here 40 years ago had a stronger resemblance to the people who did the hiring and consequently, had less trouble landing rewarding jobs. The issue here is a disconnect between the predominantly white Canadian employers and the non-white job-seekers.
Comparing the economic performance of immigrants to the performance of the Canadian population as a whole doesn't tell the full story. Thirty years ago, statisticians were comparing predominantly white immigrants to mostly white Canadian-borns. More recently, they are comparing predominantly non-white immigrants to mostly white Canadian-borns.
In order to properly assess the economic success of new Canadian immigrants, we should measure the economic performance of recent immigrants to that of non-white Canadian-borns. One such study, done a few years ago (Canadian Council on Social Development - Urban Poverty in Canada: A Statistical Profile, April 2000), demonstrated that the economic performance of all non-whites (whether born in Canada or abroad) are similar, and lower than the economic performance of white Canadian-borns.
So, for what its worth, I'm of the view that it's not Canada's immigration policy that requires an overhaul so much as the attitudes of white Canadians towards non-whites.
I do not mean this as a diatribe against the majority of Canadians. Discrimination is a relative concept and no place on earth is completely free of prejudice. Compared to most people, I really do believe that Canadians are open and accommodating. The reality is that most immigrants are successful in Canada - it just takes longer than it ought to. Canadians can do better.
2 Comments:
Indeed there is a great truth in the above posting of David. That is of "fair-skin-ness" in prejudicial mind of the population(may be amongst the employers, if not in general) of one of the great nations in the world.
It is true that we born with varied qualities in the varied lands by the choice of nature, yet it is our choice to exclude the less-fit to make sure we resonate with nature by allowing the 'survival of the fittest'.
We have complexions(color or creed) that identify our region of origin(sort of) that separates us from ourselves in order to keep each identity as unique as each of us!
Again it is the merit that brings us together to honor and respect one who is from a far away distant land or that of the near - thus discriminating 'honorably' - allowing us to flourish together and nourish each other by exchanging whatever we can offer.
We do however love to reap the fruit of success in both ways - by the grace of legal systems that is laid out in each land - for the givers and the takers.
It is therefore for the benefit of the both that we share and enrich each other. And again, it is important that we be more patient and tolerant towards all involved in the game of life. That's where the 'immigration policy' possibly comes into play.
It is an irony that it is the human nature to reach for a better life and try to keep it as discreet as possible, even though sharing it helps other survive better in life. We always think of loosing an opportunity but never think of natures gift of life that is available in the other part of the land. That's why we should seek and avail decently the offerings that are extended by one people(group of) to the other.
That's how it is only my idea that we may get a better picture of systems laid out by the man - for the man.
Thank you for hitting the nail right on the head! I am an African international student and even with a work permit and an B+ gpa after 2 years studying business at a prestigious Ontario university I am finding it quite difficult to find a summer job in a related field. I have been through countless interviews and so far not a call back. Did i forget to mention all this job hunting has been in Calgary? I've settled for a night job which pays 6 dollars an hour less than my peers are getting on average from their jobs with similar qualifications.
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