Canada, 30th September: Canada’s immigrant integration and bridging programs help newcomers get prepared and trained for the job market of the nation.
By joining immigrant integration programs in Canada, newcomers gain confidence and overcome barriers quite common in Canadian job market including cultural differences and language barriers.
Immigrant programs vital for settlement of newcomers in Canada—The role of immigrant initiatives is crucial to the successful integration of newcomers in Canada.
Considering the example of Ms. Aileen Raquel, a social worker from Philippines arriving in Canada in 2003 for better job prospects and higher quality of life, would make things clearer.
37-year-old Raquel says she lived below the poverty line in Canada for around three years before a bridging program helped her get a permanent job with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto in 2006.
She informs that she joined an immigrant bridging program at Ryerson University, Toronto which helped her gain the much needed confidence to settle in Canada. Such immigrant programs in Canada have helped many newcomers like Raquel.
Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council--Canada needs to provide such immigrant integration programs to help fast recognition of foreign credentials and bring potential job seekers in contact with employers and companies, states Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s (TRIEC) Joan Atlin.
Ms. Atlin says that making right connections between the companies and the talented immigrants and integration of such immigrants into the Canadian workplace at the earliest are the two most common challenges.
Immigrant programs help newcomers overcome barriers to settlement in Canada--According to director of diversity strategies at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Toronto, Matt Peterson, it is a big myth that all immigrants searching jobs in Canada must possess Canadian work experience.
There is a need for a change in the thinking process and this can be done by navigating the process of job interviews for newcomers in Canada, Peterson adds.
Having immigrant integration programs that help newcomers get knowledge about behavior in a business meeting are needed for success of immigrants here, states a human resources recruiter at Questrade, Toronto, Zuleika Sgro.
She adds that Questrade helps skilled newcomers get connected with established professionals in Canada.