Most people from the West do not believe in the concept of status derived from career, particularly in modern day western nations as compared to developing countries. The people that do get stuck in the rat race. When did I speak of "climbing the social ladder"? This is a redundant viewpoint. The only ladder to climb is to overcome's one's false sense of pride.
Also note that I make a distinction between skilled labour and unskilled labour, in which latter group falls 'survival jobs' and should be left for unemployed Canadian youth. Most unemployed professional migrants won't take up skilled labour because of a false sense of pride. How many software programmers from India will retrain as a highly skilled farrier in a rural area? They would rather work as a labourer in a warehouse for the rest of their lives, barely surviving, whereas a skilled farrier commands great respect in their community and offers a great standard of living. Most highly educated professionals I know in the West will fight for the chance to retrain in rural skilled labour and enjoy a high quality of life out in the country. Whereas most educated professionals from the East will do survival jobs for the rest of their lives and will convince themselves that they are giving their children a "better opportunity". This is when false pride dictates a false social hierarchy. You really need to get out of your box and see the world for what it is.
Indeed this is a source of conflict between Canadians (and Westerns in general) and immigrants. In small provinces, people don't like immigrants (and even Canadians from urban areas), because they bring with them this false sense of elitism- showing off your car, talking down to people who are in skilled work, boasting about your university education etc. You in particular would not at all be well liked by such people. Unfortunately it is people like you who create a bad impression of immigrants.
Also social hierarchy also doesn't exist everywhere. As I've clearly stated, the concept of "keeping up with the Jones'" is a false middle class mentality. Perhaps when you migrate to Canada, it would be wise to connect with those outside of your comfort group, who can teach you a thing or two about society and mindset regarding respect in doing hard and honest labour. The 1%ers can believe that they want, but why should people aspire to want to be the 1%? Aspiration should be for a fair and equal society. I have no need to aspire to "be someone"- what does that even mean? My sense of pride and happiness is not derived from superficial vanity. And this has nothing to do with race.
As to your final question which you say relates to most migrants, my point was, as long as migrants themselves are pushing the perception that they are only good enough to be taxi drivers, rather than giving the impression that they will be 'viably employed or bust', then employers will continue to exploit them and not respect them. Respect can be earned, certainly, but working for year upon year in a supermarket does not send the message that migrants are strongly aspiring to be gainfully employed. Perception matters.
