Succeeding From the Margins of Canadian Society: A Strategic Resource for New Immigrants, Refugees, and International Students. Francis Adu-Febiri

degree from India he had to find work in a Canadian company before his expertise would be recognized by the Canadian professional authorities in that field. As he notes, “People just weren’t interested to speak to me or to see me. I think people just saw it as an immigrant’s résumé and that was it” (Vu “From Executive to Entry Level” 2003). The upshot is that many immigrants have to accept jobs far beneath their professional capabilities. If it’s any comfort, to catch up to one’s former professional status, Lionel Laroche, vice-president of cross-cultural and relocation services at Toronto-based CPI/Hazel & Associates points out that, “It may take 10 to 15 years, but at that point, [the immigrants’] previous managerial experience becomes very valuable to an organization. That’s because they now know how to manage Canadians as well as how to manage back in their home countries” (Vu “From Executive to Entry Level” 2003). Ten to fifteen years; are you taking notes? According to Laroche, Canadians may not be eager to hire managerial talent from outside because “We learn management from our public schools, from our university professors, from our parents, from our summer jobs” (Vu “From Executive to Entry Level” 2003). This might be a convenient excuse.

      Could it be that because people in mainstream Canadian society grow up hearing about how wonderful Canada is and by extension how great Canadians are, they develop a feeling of superiority to people from other parts of the world? But then again, people from Australia, South Africa, or the United Kingdom are very quickly accepted and offered opportunities because Canadians probably feel that they are on a par with people from these countries whereas they might find it difficult to accept someone from Bahrain, India, or Burkina Faso coming into a company as a manager. Canadians may feel it’s all right to take orders or guidance from an Australian, a Brit, or an American, all the better if that individual is white, but to take orders from a Burkinabe. Tsk-tsk. Thus, it might be more in keeping with the expectations of some in the mainstream society that immigrants from less favoured societies serve in lowly positions. When finally someone offered Fazili a position there was no disappointment. Tim Collins of Stafflink Solutions, who offered Fazili a job as a part-time accountant admits that he has learned a lot from Fazili as indeed he has provided some mentorship to this accountant from Bahrain. Isn’t this the way it should be? People learning from one another and advancing together regardless of national background? Fazili, by the way, has since been promoted to a top position in the company. If Canadians gave more immigrants a chance maybe they would discover that having an accent does not mean that a person is dumb.

       Canadian Experience

      Though there may be some pressure on you to get a job, if you are in a position to volunteer, do so. This would help you learn about people in your host country and to absorb some of the values in the Canadian workplace. Such volunteer experience could also come in handy when employers begin to ask about whether you have Canadian experience. Your volunteer experience could be your bridge from untried newcomer to seasoned worker in the Canadian workplace. It seems like a catch-22 when employers would not offer you a job because you do not have the all-important “Canadian experience.” But how, you wonder, can you gain Canadian experience when no one is willing to take a chance on you? You can short-circuit this chicken and egg quandary by getting some volunteer experience. In most major cities in Canada there are volunteer agencies. Check in the phone book or ask your friends and neighbours about such opportunities. This may be just the bridge you need to make an entrée into Canadian work life.

      Now, what is so different about accounting in Canada that a professional accountant with 22 years of experience in the United Kingdom cannot pick up on the job within a matter of months? The case of Selladurai Premakumaran and his bookkeeper wife, Nesamalar, is just one of a growing number that has convinced some immigrants, particularly those from visible minority backgrounds, that there is no hope for them in Canada as far as their acceptance as professionals is concerned. Selladurai is originally from Sri Lanka while his wife is originally from Malaysia. With their long years of living in the United Kingdom no one can say that they do not speak English and yet, they were repeatedly hit for the requirement of “Canadian experience.” After a few years in Canada they had to work as janitors as well as stocking shelves in supermarkets to make a living.

      Guidy Manman, an immigration lawyer with Toronto’s Manman & Associates, commenting on the Premakumarans’ lawsuit against the Canadian government suggests that one can start making contacts and seeking a position even before arriving in Canada. The only question is that if being physically present in Canada does not help with obtaining a job how would conducting a long distance job search be any better? The only possibility is that the Premakumarans would have found out sooner how grim the prospects would be for them. They could then have saved themselves the trouble of coming over. The lack of success on the part of many professionals in accessing the job market raises the question as to whether immigrants are too obsessed with working for someone. A person with some savings and that many years of experience could investigate the possibilities of working as a self-employed accountant in Canada. One might begin as a home-based business and with a track record of success expand into regular office space. Most people with a need for accounting services would not care as long as they are assured that the job would be done satisfactorily. Considering that payment will be contingent upon proper execution of the project in question no one has anything to lose. Too few recent immigrants may be considering such possibilities even though Canada has a rich history of immigrants succeeding as self-employed individuals or families.

       Dealing with “Acculturative Stress”

      Going from being a doctor in one’s country and enjoying the status and perks that come with it to becoming a dishwasher in Canada may cause some people to stress out. Some are strong enough that they take such a come-down for what it is: a temporary condition. But as the months stretch into years one’s self-esteem can take a beating. Certainly, you can draw strength from your accomplishments in the past and acknowledge that the shenanigans that Canadians use to avoid employing immigrants do not make you less than you are. While you cannot help but feel the effects it is also clear that your lack of acceptance from those who appear to hold your fate in their hands does not necessarily mean you are incompetent. There is a point beyond which you realize that it’s not just because you are not a good fit for the companies to which you are applying but that there is something deeper going on. You begin to realize that, this great country, with all its shining buildings, well-scrubbed people, gleaming cars and blooming flora, also has another side, a dark side, if you will, and that as the saying goes, all that glitters is not gold. You may find comfort in commiserating with other immigrants whose own tales of woe may be worse than your own. You may even laugh through your tears and go for a walk along the beach or do a bit of window shopping to cheer yourself up. You’ve come to Canada with the full expectation of throwing yourself into Canadian life but how can that happen, when you are stymied at the starting gate? Without a job, how do you participate actively in the life of the community? You may begin to wonder if you had made a mistake to make Canada your new home. You want to convince yourself that all will be well. What a beautiful country! Why can’t you also have a little share in this piece of heaven on earth? But you need to get a job and all your efforts are turning to nil. Beauty is all around you but you can’t have beauty for breakfast, can you? And when your three-year-old cries for some solid food you certainly can’t say, “Hey, kiddo, look through that window pane. This is a beautiful country.” You may begin to feel a certain disconnection between yourself and other Canadians, that is, those that you perceive to be shutting doors of opportunity in your face.

      You might draw hope from the experiences of other immigrants who have eventually succeeded in making their dreams come true. For some, having an exit strategy has been the key to saving their sanity and their pocketbook. While some, such as the astronaut husbands of Hong Kong and Taiwan are able to fly back and forth between their native land and their newly adopted country not everyone is able to do so. Consider the full range of options open to you, including whether or not to accept a temporary job while doing what is necessary to gain the necessary occupational foothold in your field.

       Move from Knowledge to Wisdom

      Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Thus, knowing the importance of good communication skills and the concern that some employers raise about accents