In Canada about 51.6% of recent highly skilled immigrants face employment disadvantages due to barriers in gaining recognition for their foreign credentials (Chen, Smith, & Mustard, 2010). Immigrants are more likely to be employed in low-skilled occupations (LSO) as a result and the unmet expectation between receiving formal education and occupational attainment can lead to a decline in self-reported health (i.e., mental health) and productivity over time (Smith & Frank, 2005). Compared to Canadian born workers, it can take up to ten years for immigrants to reach similar labor outcomes. From 1996-2006, lack of utilizing immigrants skills faced loses in total annual earnings from $4.80 billion to $11.37 billion respectively (Reitz, Curtis & Elrick, 2014). Immigrants are significant contributors to the Canadian labor workforce and are expected to make up all net population growth by 2031 (“British Columbia,” 2016). But there are still barriers in employment for new immigrants in Canada in occupations that reflect their education, experience, and expectations (Chen et al., 2010). Economic growth in British Columbia (BC) has grown to $16.5 billion since 2011 and high turnover rates are occurring among the aging workforce. Three quarters of new job positions are expected to open by 2025 and will require workers to possess post-secondary education and training (“British Columbia,” 2016). Thus, there will be a rise in demand for skilled workers to address the labor shortage and foster a strong and adaptable workforce (“British Columbia,” 2016).
Background
Barriers to Market Integration
Receiving credentials is needed for FSW’s to successfully integrate into the BC labor market. But getting recognition for their foreign credentials is often a complex and lengthy process that involves independently seeking and contacting the appropriate professional licensing authority in advance. Some challenges often encountered during this process is lack of knowledge (or ability) in preparing for this process in advance, trouble collecting official documents from their post secondary institutions, and additional expenses incurred in becoming a licensed professional (“Foreign Qualifications,” n.d.). Failing to get recognition for their foreign credentials limits job opportunities for immigrants leaving them vulnerable to adverse working conditions with low wages (Subedi & Rosenberg, 2017).
Low-Skilled Jobs Impact Health
Employment is recognized as a significant determinant of health (Subedi & Rosenberg, 2017). Positive associations between employment and health outcomes included improved physical well-being, greater happiness, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Unemployment is linked to negative health outcomes due to low income leading to stress, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, and premature mortality (Dean & Wilson, 2009). Studies have suggested evidence for full-time employment is an accurate predictor for self-reported health and physical capabilities. Full-time employment with benefits can greatly improve mental health as individuals have more perceived control, social support, greater economic resources, and enhanced social status (Dean & Wilson, 2009).
The gradients in health outcomes are apparent in federal skilled workers (FSW) participating in low- skilled occupations (LSO) compared to those able to secure jobs in high-skilled occupations (HSO). These differences can be explained by FSW’s work conditions that create feelings of low self-esteem and job satisfaction, minimal job security, more exhaustion and greater exposure to environmental pollutants. In addition, receiving minimum wages can exacerbate financial hardships (Subedi & Rosenberg, 2015). Extensive evidence has also found generational impacts of low incomes extending to affect educational attainment in worker’s offspring (Maxwell, 2006).
FSW’s employed in LSOs typically have poorer physical and mental health outcomes due to the underutilization of their knowledge, capabilities, and experience (Subedi & Rosenberg, 2017). Compared to native-born workers, immigrants are more likely to experience lower perceived control and be involved in strenuous working conditions. Over qualification can be considered a type of underemployment, acting as a chronic work stressor due to perception of minimal control over the loss of identity and status attached to their occupation (Chen et al., 2010). Ultimately, chronic exposure to stress will lead to not only poor mental status but various physiological responses that increase risk for cardiovascular disease and further impede health if it is persisted through long periods of time (Hatzenbuehler et al., 2013).
Although recent immigrants have better health outcomes than the native born population despite barriers to health care and having low socioeconomic status (SES), this term called the “healthy worker effect,” explain these observations. But immigrant health outcomes tend decline over time as immigrants acculturate in Canada because of low economic resources and social exclusion (Urquia et al., 2012). These interactive factors play a significant role in decreasing mental health over time (Thompson et al., 2015).
Currently, BC has multiple existing immigrant streams targeted to improving settlement and labor market integration for immigrants through expanding cultural literacy, and cross-cultural and communication training from government institutions and non-profits.
The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP Pathways) is one action undertaken to further develop the province’s social capital where there are three ways to become a permanent residence depending on the applicant’s classification for their occupational skill level. Express pathways include ones with a high-demand for the occupation or are able to invest and manage a valid business in BC (“BC PNP,” n.d.). The Career Paths for Skilled Immigrant Program works to help integrate immigrants into the labor workforce through tailoring to meet their needs and providing support specific to the occupation. This includes assessment of skills, qualifications, and experience and informational support such as knowledge on Canadian workplace culture, advice and guidance in making a career plan (“Career Paths,” n.d.). Another organization is the Immigrant Employment Council of BC who work to build BC’s long-term performance in the economy by helping immigrants integrate into the labor market through collaborating with BC employers to create solutions, tools, and resources to increase hiring and retaining qualified FSW’s (“About Us,” n.d.).
Currently, BC provides various resources available for mental outreach programs through the availability of specialized health clinics, tele-health support, and additional programs available that are designed to address mental health and facilitate successful integration and settlement for immigrants. But major barriers still exist in accessing mental health services for immigrants including settlement experiences such as having low SES, overcoming cultural barriers, which encompasses immigrants’ expectations surrounding health provider-client relationships, the pressure of stigma of the mental illness from social networks, and cultural appropriateness (“Migration Matters,” 2015).
A suggested strategy that has been explored to address the health inequality in low-skilled occupations is employing a policy intervention in organizational health. Called the Role Model Mechanism, its trial in Germany aim to facilitate more positive interactions between the managerial sector and workers. More task-related communication has been shown to increased job satisfaction and has a protective effect against burnout (Busch, 2017). The advantages of this intervention is it can greatly improve new immigrants transition into the BC labor force by improving job satisfaction in low-skilled occupations, provide opportunities to develop social networks through building support, act as an informational aid to getting credential recognition, and enhancing self-control for low-skill workers and immigrants (Busch, 2017). Results have shown high quality improvements in the workplace by greater peer support reducing social isolation and influencing health-promotion activities such as control beliefs and coping strategies (Busch, 2017).
Another strategy is one that involves improving careers within an organization through collaborating with programmatic interventions (Luce et al., 2014). This was tested in Massachusetts to address structural barriers to employment. Called the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, this initiative provided funding in partnerships with businesses that supported and trained unemployed and underemployed workers by collaborating with industries to design demand-driven programs to create leverage for individuals to attain higher-level job opportunities (“Workforce Competitiveness,” n.d.). Investing in human social capital creates regional capacity and provides a comparative advantage in the economy by not only creating a competitive edge, but has been found to greatly improve profits, productivity, retention of employees, and increased sales (“Workforce Competitiveness,” n.d.).
Given the benefits of these policy interventions, these proposed strategies have disadvantages that may impede implementation or its effectiveness. Unintended effects can include exacerbating negative health outcomes in the managerial sector such as creating added stress to first-level managers tasked with increased workload by participating in these interventions. Motivation and incentive for managers to participate in these strategies is also paramount but challenging if perceptions towards LSO workers are negative because of high turnover rates in these occupations (Busch, 2017).
Recommendation
The processes prior and during settlement in a new country require resourcefulness to navigate within the provincial labor force. Many immigrants are selected on the basis of their education, skill, and experience. However, not all are able to successfully integrate right away or at all into their desired professions. The recommended strategy that would best fit the context (e.g., demographic, age distribution) and economic situation in the province would be the Role Model Mechanism. The advantages in implementing this model into employer's business structure does not only extend to immigrants who wish to transition into HSOs later on, but can greatly assist many non-immigrant LSO workers who also desire to progress within the organization or reach higher occupational attainment.