Barriers to employment and utilization of highly skilled Iranians in Greater Vancouver Regional District

To investigate barriers to employment and utilization of highly skilled Iranians in Greater Vancouver Regional District, I conducted a survey where the majority of respondents cited lack of Canadian work experience, lack of networking, lack of credential recognition, and lack of available jobs as their main obstacles to finding employment in their area of training. A large percentage of respondents did not obtain any information about the Canadian labour market prior to immigration. Of those who did so, most considered the information they accessed only ‘somewhat helpful’. The objective of this study is to propose methods that will help smooth the transition of skilled Iranian-born immigrants and improve their integration into the labour market. Proposed alternatives to the status quo include the provision of mandatory information sessions prior to immigration, streamlining credential assessment, and developing internship programs to help skilled immigrants gain their first Canadian work experience.