IMMIGRATION POLICY AND
HOW IT TRANSLATES IN THE WORKPLACE
THE NOTION OF SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE IN OUR IMMIGRANT SOCIETY HAS
TYPICALLY BEEN SEEN AS THE ONUS OF IMMIGRANTS
NICK NOORANI’S SEVEN SECRETS OF SUCCESS FOR
IMMIGRANTS:
1. LEARN THE LANGUAGE {COMMUNICATION
SKILLS/ I ARGUED FOR LANGUAGE
REQUIRMENT IN POINT SYSTEM}
2. STAY POSITIVE {NEW
EMIGRATION STUDIES}
3. EMBRACE CANADA
[THINK HONG KONG]
4. HAVE A PLAN
B [THINK JOESPH CAMPBELL]
5. STAY CLEAR OF ETHNIC SILOS [FORMERLY PROTECTION]
6. TAKE RISKS
7. VOLUNTEER,
FIND A MENTOR (SHIN,
2008: 21)
QUESTION: CAN YOU THINK
OF OTHER STRATEGIES FOR IMMIGRANT SUCCESS? è
SOME RESEARCH ARGUES THAT IMMIGRANT
ADAPTION HAS TO BE MATCHED BY EMPLOYER ADAPTION
HOW CAN
EMPLOYERS ADAPT?
IT IS
ARGUED è
IMMIGRANTS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THEY HAD TO CHANGE – BUT – EMPLOYERS ARE
JUST NOW
STARTING TO REALIZE THAT THEY CAN IMPROVE THEIR OWN PERFORMANCE BY CHANGING.”
[EX: EMPLOYERS ARE
LOOKING FOR WAYS
TO RETAIN IMMIGRANTS AND ENSURE THAT
THEIR INTERNAL POLICIES FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING (SHIN, 2008: 25).].
[FOR THE MORE SOPHISTICATED EMPLOYERS è
THE NEW IDEA IS THAT A MORE
DIVERSE WORKFORCE INCREASES ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS è HOW {?} è LIFTS MORALE, BRINGS
GREATER ACCESS TO NEW MARKETS,
ENHANCES PRODUCTIVITY, AND HAS
MANY OTHER POSITIVE IMPACTS].
FOR THE MOST PART THEY ARE STILL “NOT” ADAPTING
è
TYPICALLY, EMPLOYERS ONLY LOOK AT IMMIGRANTS
IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE RIGHT
CANDIDATES AMONG OTHER GROUPS (SEE: CFIB
2002; AND LOCHHEAD 2003A).
[IN THIS
INITIAL CONCEPTUAL STAGE], IMMIGRANT JOB
SEEKERS ARE DEEMED
NON-CANADIAN, CONSTRUED AS A BURDEN TO THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET STRUCTURE AND
CONSEQUENTLY THEY ARE RELEGATED TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE HIRING HIERARCHY.
è THE “DEFICIT
MODEL” STRONGLY CONTRADICTS THE “CREAM OF THE CROP MODEL” REFLECTED IN CANADA’S IMMIGRANT SELECTION SYSTEM è
WHICH SERVES AS THE KEY PUBLIC POLICY FOR CANADA’S
LABOUR FORCE GROWTH.
EX: CREAM
OF THE CROP MODEL è IN 2007, 37
PER CENT
OF IMMIGRANTS AGED 25 TO 54 HAD A UNIVERSITY DEGREE, COMPARED WITH ONLY
22 PER CENT
OF CANADIAN-BORN OF THE SAME AGE GROUP.
(SHIN, 2008: 22).
èTHIS CONCEPTUAL GAP
AMONG EMPLOYERS LEADS TO THEIR NEGLECT OF THE IMMIGRANT WORKFORCE AS A KEY
RESOURCE POOL FOR ADDRESSING THEIR LABOUR
NEEDS.
SEVERAL FACTORS MAY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THIS CONCEPTUAL GAP. FIRST AND
FOREMOST, THE DEFICIT MODEL CONTRIBUTES TO THE PATHOLOGIZATION OF IMMIGRANTS. A TYPICAL IMAGE OF IMMIGRANT NEWCOMERS IS
THAT THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
IN NEED OF HELP AND STRUGGLING
TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE MAINSTREAM SOCIETY – [AGAIN] A DEFICIT TO SOCIETY
RATHER THAN AN ASSET.
{GO TO}
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION è TELLS A LOT
ABOUT THE NATIONAL AND MORAL DEVELOMENT OF
THE COUNTRY
THE BIGGEST
PROBLEM TODAY IS CULTURAL
[MODERN
IMMIGRATION HAS DIVERSIFIED SOCIETY BUT] SURVEY
FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS “CULTURAL DISTANCE” è
PARTICULARLY WITH “RACIALIZED” IMMIGRANTS [STIGMAS ATTACHED TO “FOREIGN”
CULTURE – “PERPETUAL FOREIGNER
SYNDROME”] [EX: JUSTICE MAVIN WONG – “SOCIAL NULLIFICATION OF DIFFERENT-NESS]
THIS IS NOT CAUSED BY OLD-STYLE
“RACISM” OR RACIAL INTOLERANCE – BUT RATHER A NEW
STYLE OF CULTURAL POLITICS
HOW DO YOU
FORMULATE THIS PHENOMENON?
VISIBLE MINORITIES ARE NO
LONGER WIDELY PORTRAYED AS GENETICALLY INFERIOR AS INTHE PAST // BUT THE “DOMINANT
{WHITESTREAM} CULTURE” (SEE
GRANDE 2004) STILL OFTEN PERCEIVES NON-WHITE CULTURES AS INSTITUTIONALLY BACKWARD
// WHICH CAN LEAD TO SKILLS DISCOUNTING AND
ACCREDITATION BLOCKAGE IN THE WORKPLACE.
{{SHIN, MELLISSA. 2008. DIVERSITY
SURVEY: IMMIGRANTS FACE A “STICKY FLOOR” RATHER THAN A GLASS CEILING, BUT
CHANGE IS FAST APPROACHING. NO ROOM
FOR TALENT? CORPORATE KNIGHTS DIVERSITY ISSUE.}}
“I think our immigration policy
is built upside down. We go around the world and we harvest the world’s best
brains. We select the best people from every part of the globe, and we bring
them here and we get them to flip burgers – or enter their fields at lower than
expected levels of pay and responsibility.” – Oliver Schmidtke, Political Science
Professor, University of Victoria.
Linda Manning, an
economics professor at the University
of Ottawa, is leading a research
project on immigrant advancement in the workplace called Diversity for Growth.
She calls this phenomenon the “sticky floor” –
“An immigrant might get hired,
but they often don’t get their credentials and experience recognized, so they
don’t get into the jobs that they really deserve or that would best serve the
organization,” says Manning. “If you
start from there, that already shortchanges your
possibility for advancement” (Shin, 2008: 22).
MELISSA SHIN RESEARCH BY CORPORATE KNIGHTS è
THE CORPORATE KNIGHTS DIVERSITY
LEADERSHIP INDEX POINTS TO
COMPANIES THAT ARE BREAKING THROUGH GLASS
CEILINGS TO CREATE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE CORPORATE POWER
STRUCTURE.
AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BEST 50 CORPORATE CITIZENS RANKING,
CORPORATE KNIGHTS TAKES A LOOK AT CANADIAN
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
THE FINDINGS FAILED TO REFLECT CANADA’S
DEMOGRAPHICS. OF THE 140 SURVEYED, 75 PER CENT
OF BOARDS OF DIRECTORS HAD NO VISIBLE MINORITIES, AND
23 PER CENT
HAD NO WOMEN. THERE WERE NO FEMALE CEOS
IN THE 2007 BEST 50 (WITH DATA FROM
FISCAL 2006).
HERE IS THE
“BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY” è THE BUSINESS CASE FOR
DIVERSITY (TAYLOR, 1995) ARGUES THAT WORKPLACE POLICIES AND
STRATEGIES THAT TRULY ENGAGE OUR DIFFERENCES MAKE GOOD BUSINESS SENSE, NOT
ONLY FOR ETHICAL AND LEGAL
REASONS BUT ALSO FOR THE ADVANTAGES THEY BRING. THESE INCLUDE A RANGE OF NEW
AND VARIED OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS STRENGTHENING
CORPORATE VALUES, TACKLING MANPOWER SHORTAGES, GENERATING MORE CREATIVENESS AND
INNOVATION, INCREASING MOTIVATION AND
WITH IT, EFFICIENCY AMONG THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND
BROADENING THE CUSTOMER BASE.
AN RBC-COMMISSIONED STUDY
CONDUCTED IN 2005 FOUND THAT IF WOMEN AND
IMMIGRANTS HAD THE SAME LIKELIHOOD OF EMPLOYMENT AT THE SAME AVERAGE INCOME AS
MEN AND PEOPLE BORN IN CANADA, RESPECTIVELY,
THE RESULT WOULD BE AN EXTRA 1.6 MILLION EMPLOYEES AND
AN EXTRA $174 BILLION IN PERSONAL INCOME—A GAIN OF 21 PER
CENT COMPARED TO 2005 LEVELS.
BY IGNORING THIS REALITY, BY FAILING TO TAP THE FULL
POTENTIAL OF IMMIGRANTS AND WOMEN
IN THE HIRING PROCESS, EMPLOYERS ARE CAUSING
A PERSONAL INCOME SHORTFALL OF $174 BILLION PER
YEAR, ACCORDING TO RBC FINANCIAL GROUP.
è [CASCADING EFFECTS] – IF THERE IS $174 BILLION IN LOST INCOME
— IF WOMEN AND
IMMIGRANTS FACE BARRIERS IN INTEGRATION INTO THE WORKFORCE — THEN THEY ALSO
FACE BARRIERS IN ACCESSING THE MARKETS FOR HOUSING, CONSUMER
SPENDING, WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND
RELATED BUSINESS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
UPSHOT/CONCLUSION:
THE PARADIGM SHIFT REGARDING WORKPLACE EFFECTIVENESS – MOVING BEYOND DIVERSITY
TO CREATING INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS, WHERE PEOPLE REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY MATTER AND
BELONG è FOSTERING A SENSIBILITY IN OUR SERVICE
CLIMATES WHERE OUR DIFFERENCES, IN THE MYRIAD OF FORMS THAT THEY COME IN, ARE
TRULY VALUED AND WELCOMED. SUCH INCLUSIVE,
WELCOMING APPROACHES ARE ALSO KEYS
TO BUSINESS SUCCESS.
NOT THE BUSINESS CASE FOR
DIVERSITY BUT THE DIVERSITY CASE FOR BUSINESS.
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES AND CHALLENGES OF CANADIAN PUBLIC POLICY ON
IMMIGRATION
RE: DIVERSITY AND
WORKPLACE INTEGRATION
FEDERAL PUBLIC POLICY CHALLENGEè
1) RESPONDING TO A RANGE OF SKILLS-RELATED CHALLENGES IN CANADIAN WORKPLACES, IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR
PRODUCTIVITY AND POSITION
OURSELVES TO EFFECTIVELY COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY.
2) HELP NEWCOMERS
TO CANADA - OVERCOMING
BARRIERS, UPGRADING TECHNICAL AND ESSENTIAL
SKILLS, MATCHING JOBS AND SKILLS, AND/OR IMPROVING
ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF NEWCOMERS TO CANADA IN CANADIAN
WORKPLACES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN NON-REGULATED OCCUPATIONS.
OBJECTIVES
TO DEVELOP FOREIGN
CREDENTIAL ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION PROCESSES
THAT ARE FAIR, ACCESSIBLE,
CONSISTENT, TRANSPARENT, AND RIGOROUS
PROGRESS
TO DATE
- WORKING
WITH PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES, PARTNERS
AND STAKEHOLDERS
- ENGAGING
POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS AND
ASSESSMENT AGENCIES
- ENGAGING
EMPLOYERS
- NEGOTIATING
BILATERAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE PROVINCES
- REGULATED
OCCUPATIONS
- IMPROVING
COHERENCE IN PROCESSES TO RECOGNIZE CREDENTIALS AND
SKILLS;
- LEADERSHIP
CHALLENGES
1) DETERMINING
WHICH OCCUPATIONS TO ADDRESS NEXT
2) JURISDICTIONAL
ISSUES {?}
- PORTABILITY:
CREDENTIAL RECOGNITION VARIES FROM ONE
JURISDICTION TO THE NEXT
- NEED
TO BETTER PREPARE IMMIGRANTS FOR THE LABOUR MARKET THROUGH
IMPROVED LABOUR MARKET
A)
INFORMATION PORTAL OVERSEAS AND
B)
BRIDGING PROGRAMS IN CANADA
FLAW: OCCUPATIONAL FOCUS
VS. ETHNO-RACIAL FOCUS
POLICY DIRECTIONS IN FOREIGN CREDENTIALS
1) THIS NEW
POLICY DIRECTION IS TO GIVE SKILLED IMMIGRANTS CLEAR CAREER PATHS
TO FOLLOW SO THAT THEY CAN REGAIN THEIR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS IN A
REASONABLE LENGTH OF TIME.
[STUDIES SHOW THAT IMMIGRANTS
WANT CLARITY è
ADOPTING THIS POLICY DIRECTION IS LIKELY TO BE PRACTICALLY USEFUL BECAUSE
CLARITY IS HIGHTLY DESIRED]
[EX: IN THIS REGARD, FEDERAL POLICY MAKERS WANT TO BE INFORMATION BROKERS // CONDUITS FOR CLARITY]
{IS THERE A PROBLEM ALSO?}
[[HOW DO THEY
DETERMINE WHETHER ASSESSMENT AND
RECOGNITION PROCESSES ARE FAIR, ACCESSIBLE, CONSISTENT, TRANSPARENT,
AND RIGOROUS?]]
2) IT IS IMPORTANT
TO DEVELOP FLEXIBLE IMMIGRATION POLICY INITIATIVES{?} [THAT CAN ADDRESS STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO
THE SKILLED LABOUR MARKET IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CAREER GOALS AND
THE FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF FOREIGN-TRAINED MIGRANTS THEMSELVES.]
EX: A) PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM (PNP),
B)
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER (TFW) PROGRAM – [LET
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SKILLED WORKERS
CONTINUE WORKING OR STUDYING IN CANADA
WHILE THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE BEING
PROCESSED] AND
C)
CANADIAN EXPERIENCE CLASS – [ARE
GIVING BUSINESSES, INDUSTRY SECTORS, AND PROVINCES NEW
AND IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTRACT,
RETAIN, AND SETTLE THE INTERNATIONAL TALENT
THEY URGENTLY NEED è GIVING
IMMIGRANTS NEW AND
IMPROVED PATHWAYS TO PERMANENT RESIDENCY]
D)
FOREIGN CREDENTIALS REFERRAL OFFICE (FCRO) –
GOAL OF THE FCRO IS HELPING INTERNATIONALLY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO WORK
IN CANADA GET THEIR CREDENTIALS ASSESSED AND
RECOGNIZED MORE QUICKLY. A BUDGET 2007 SET ASIDE $32.2 MILLION FOR THE
OPERATIONS OF THE FCRO. A WEBSITE DESIGNED TO HELP FOREIGN-TRAINED WORKERS
SUCCEED IN CANADA
WAS ALSO LAUNCHED THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
PROBLEM:
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO ASSUME THE NECESSARY ROLE OF POLICY MANAGER è
AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR MONITORING THE
QUALITY CONTROL OF THE SYSTEM
QUESTION{?}:
WHAT
HAPPENS WITH A LARGE PROJECT YOU CREATE WHERE YOU JUST GIVE
OUT THE GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES, DIVVY OUT RESOURCES, AND
DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITIES?
MY THESIS: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS IN THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS
POSITION TO MONITOR THE IMMIGRANT WORKPLACE INTEGRATION IN A SUBSTANTIVE
EQUALITY FORMAT THAT LINKS THE GLOBAL AND THE
LOCAL è
POLICY MANAGER FUNCTION è BUT BECAUSE OF “SUB-CONTRACTING”
THE COMPLEX POLICY LANDSCAPE OF
IMMIGRANT EMPLOYMENT HAS
BECOME “UNWORKABLE” è THE POLICY MANAGER
FUNCTION TO BE THE PIVOTAL FEATURE OF GOVERNANCE.