The role of cultural differences in skilled Indian immigrant underemployment in Greater Vancouver Area.

This paper approaches the problem of underemployment of skilled Indian immigrants living in Greater Vancouver Area. The perceptions of a sample of 36 immigrants and their level of integration or separation were measured. The perceived barriers to gaining Canadian credentials were also examined. Two main barriers to gaining Canadian credentials were discovered. These were the cost of educational programs and the time required for gaining Canadian credentials. These two barriers were found to be equally important for all immigrants irrespective of their category of immigration. In addition to the above, family commitment was also an important barrier in getting Canadian credentials. The level of integration of the Indian immigrants was found to be unrelated to finding work in the desired field of specialization. On the other hand, separation was found to be inversely related to finding work in the desired field of specialization.