Canada is a great country where people from different origins, races, religions and cultures feel welcome. Many people try to immigrate to Canada seeking respect and dignity. Even though newcomers here are aware how lucky they are to be in a safe and a peaceful country like Canada, one of the biggest challenges is continuing in the previous career because of many reasons. At the same time, there are many ways to overcome these challenges and find an opportunity to work again.
To start with, one of the most important reasons that prevents continuing in the workplace immediately here in Canada is learning the language of the country. For most newcomers, learning English is the first basic step to start again here. Some people who come from certain countries such as Syria and Iraq did not use to speak English. Sometimes they have a good background in basic grammar, but they have not practiced spoken English enough in their study, work and community. Fortunately, Canada generally has a great support for newcomers to teach them English in different levels. Having the language means having the way to communicate and understand the new culture. In addition to that, joining classes to learn language enables people to meet each other and have more discussions. As a result, they can have different perspectives about the careers and plans to work.
Another obstacle to continue in the same career is the recognition of previous degrees from home countries and the new labor market here in Canada. The previous degrees sometimes are not the suitable qualifications to have the same positions here in the Canadian workplace. To illustrate more, newcomers must qualify their degrees according to the Canadian educational system and often they must restudy some courses related to their fields. However, some jobs or specializations are not in demand in specific areas, so people should research to find some different fields and study from the beginning. In other words, they will try to have plan B or C if plan A is not available. It is sometimes hard to study again because a long time has passed since people had been in classrooms and they need financial support to join universities and colleges again.
Moreover, people cannot ignore the importance of Canadian experience, which is strongly demanded by the employers to ensure that the employee can do the job well. Newcomers' resumes are full of work experiences from their own home countries that might be completely different because of the different systems and work environments. However, newcomers can develop their knowledge and abilities through training and volunteering. In this way they can adapt what they already have to what the employers need.
In conclusion, it is not guaranteed that newcomers will be able to continue in their previous career as mentioned before so continuing learning sparks success. The same skills and abilities can lead to having additional qualifications that are necessary to advance and work more efficiently in new positions. Finally having the knowledge is very important to accept the challenges and overcome them successfully.
Amani Abo Saloua
Amani is from Syria. There she grew up, got her degree in English literature, worked, got married and had her three lovely daughters. In Syria she still has her best memories. She has been in Canada since 2016. Although it is hard to live away from her homeland, she is doing her best to adapt and succeed again.
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