Demanding 'Canadian Experience' in hiring immigrant workers

[mynameisearl11]

Noticed that you guys are very animated when it comes to immigration policies in this country. I decided to let you debate on employment with candian experience controversy. In Ontario, employers could use the clause 'canadian experience' by denying immigrants job opportunities. Naturally, supporters of immigrant workers are crying foul on this issue. They think the 'Canadian Experience' violates the human rights code. You can follow the story from the Toronto Star.

http://www.thestar.com/news/queensp...rs_may_breach_ontarios_human_rights_code.html

 

[canada-man]

define "canadian experience"?

 

[mynameisearl11]

define "canadian experience"?

lol..I didn't even know the thing existed until I read the article this morning. Basically, if you're not fitting in with the culture of working in canada you would not get the job! Employers don't care if these immigrants are highly skilled workers in their native countries!

 

[red]

define "canadian experience"?

work experience in canada.

 

[SirWanker]

Depending on the profession, I can see why " Canadian experience" ( my definition is working in your trained profession and understanding the Canadian legal/standards of said vocation) would be a requirement.

 

[elmo]

I would also suggest the term "Canadian Experience" includes work experience, in Canada, in the field of expertise you are interested in working in. Someone educated in a foreign country who has a medical degree cannot count 5 years driving taxi as Canadian Experience.

 

[Cassini]

I've always perceived the "Canadian Experience" problem as a problem created by the Canadian Government.

If a company wants an employee, they will hire them. Skilled individuals are too hot to lose in the competitive global hiring market.

The issue is that the Canadian Government treats everyone as equals. They assume all electrical engineers from anywhere in the world are equivalent. Thus at one point, the Canadian government was bringing in lots of electrical engineers from Romania (who were desperate to leave), while simultaneously a bunch of Toronto based companies were desperately trying to hire experienced VLSI Electrical Engineers. However, at the time, only a few universities in the world were training VLSI Electrical Engineers, which made them a very hot commodity. The properly trained people were going to other countries (where the immigration process was easy), and Canada was importing the untrained people (who desperate to leave). The entire situation was a disaster for all concerned. Most of the companies were unable to compete on a global scale and development moved elsewhere, and the new immigrants were unemployed.

Only bring "skilled" workers into Canada when at least one (ideally two or more) companies are willing to hire them immediately. That way the worker gets the Canadian experience, and no one is left unemployed. Also, if things don't work out, the individual either has the Canadian experience required to work at a different company, or can simply return home. Importantly, the new immigrant has not wasted many years of his life going through a mind-numbingly bureaucratic immigration process with no income.

 

[anon1]

define "canadian experience"?

What they ask of non-white applicants regardless of status.

 

[spraggamuffin]

Though employers don't have to tell you why you weren't hired, it's just a patronizing excuse.

I was hit with this many times except for the most menial jobs those with Canadian experience would never do.

Another one I got too was that I was overqualified for some jobs, but I should nevertheless go back to school and get some Canadian schooling under my belt.

When my bro landed with PR which he secured through the points system and told them at the airport of his job offer and expected 6 figure salary, they confiscated his passport.

He had to produce a bank statement showing over $12000 CDN the next day to get back his family passports.

Canada is a great place to live if you are lucky that the stars line up for you.

If you are a professional, use it as a stepping stone towards going to the USA.

There is racism, cronyism,nepotism and white privilege there as well but your chances are much better not only because the population is so unqualified but because they do respect people.

Professional associations offer many barriers to entry. In many cases they are justified but offer no avenues or very few for one to integrate.

My sister's friend, a qualified doctor, failed the exams here many times.

Eventually she migrated to the US and now heads up an entire department at John Hopkins.

 

[alex52]

I came from UK to Canada, my education at Cambridge University was paid for by the UK taxpayer (which Canadian economy/society benefited from) I was offered a job in Canada and my employer took care of the immigration formalities.
The point is, immigration is not just about scroungers wanting to abuse the Canadian system. Its also about Canada wanting to skim the best brains of others countries not having paid for their skills and qualifications.

I get sick of ignorant Canadians (many of them on this board) moaning about the Canadain immigration system.
If you don't want immigrants then vote for a government who will stop immigration.

I could have quite easily moved to USA or Australia so Canada is not the only option.

 

[Aardvark154]

define "canadian experience"?

A CBC television historical series about a decade ago

 

[diehard]

define "canadian experience"?

speak English with little or no accent at all, some employers don't like candidates with thick accents.

 

[elmo]

There is nothing wrong with skimming the best qualified candidates. Are you suggesting we should offer all that Canada has going for it to only the "scroungers"? Do you not realize that we must, like any other country or company with much to offer, attempt to encourage the best to join us? Canada needs immigration but it needs to be controlled and worth it for the country. We as a nation seem to feel we have an obligation to unqualified immigrants. Canada is not the only option but the US is way down the list. They are a much worse choice in terms of the economic differences between rich and poor.

 

[good to go]

If these individuals were any good at their field of expertise they would have already have been employed. They get hired by our govt for those jobs and we suffer in the end.

 

[diehard]

... to become a lawyer in Ontario, generally speaking, one has to complete a one year Articles of Clerkship in Ontario regardless of where the person originated reign trained lawyers).

In that case we're talking about certifications here, not work experience.

 

[Cassini]

"15 of the 38 regulated professions in Ontario currently require Canadian work experience. Six of them specifically ask for Ontario experience as part of the licensing criteria."

The experience problem can be really annoying even for Canadian professionals. Some trades like being closed-shops. It is surprisingly easy to get into the situations where trade x can't build y however someone else can't either because it involves trade x.

Also, keeping everyone in the dark about what a trade does is no solution either. Holmes Inspection was great for showing all of the problems in new construction.

 

[spraggamuffin]

The thing is sometimes those with all the Canadian experience in the world don't know their ass from their elbows.

Sometimes Canadian Experience in a job at Price Chopper allows people to acquire jobs out of their league.

Often it's Management positions overseeing immigrants who do the actual work while they take the credit.

Many have stayed under the radar or made the quick escalation to Management where less technical knowledge is required.

Often it's the immigrants who come and show up these guys for how incompetent they are.

The idea then is to keep the immigrants at the technical/operations level and promote the Canadian Experienced to Management positions.

A buddy of mine works in a door company and came here without any experience in doors.

He frequently has to go and properly redo the work the guys with 20 odd years of experience incompetently performed initially.

 

[lomotil]

Canada requires immigration without it, deaths exceed births so that there is negative population growth, like in racist and xenophobic Japan which does not let in immigrants. As expected, many Canadians whether born here and even those who immigrated here resent having to work with other immigrants for many reasons. Those who wish to immigrate to Canada should seriously study the likelyhood of them finding employment in their chosen field in Canada, with all of the obstacles, discriminatory practices such as "Canadian Experience" which is code for you need not apply. Some immigrants are flexible enough to work in menial jobs once they arrive here until they can do better. Some chose the route of going on social assistance until they can do better or remain on it permanently. Others go back home disillusioned and frustrated. Most immigrants make a positive contribution and are essential to Canada's future. The government allows people to immigrate into Canada but cannot force employers to hire them.

 

[canada-man]

like in racist and xenophobic Japan which does not let in immigrants.

tell that to the 1 million foreigners living in japan.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2221.html

Naturalization

Foreigners, who have resided in Japan for at least five consecutive years (less if married to a Japanese national), have shown good conduct, have never plotted against the Japanese government, have sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living and are willing to renounce any other citizenship held, can be granted Japanese citizenship.

 

[Petzel]

Also how does an employee communicate with his bosses, clients or whatever if they don't speak English and/or French? I think being fluent in English/French should be a requirement for employment here.