Alberta- Until recently, Canada was viewed by an ideal, attractive destination and a haven for immigrants. Every young man and family aspires to achieve their dreams, due to the abundance of job opportunities in it and its easy migration system.
However, the image of the “land of dreams and opportunities” as described, began to dissipate in front of a changing reality that imposes increasing challenges on the new arrivals, as a result of the crises that exhausted the country, so that the expatriates collide with it with a difficult and harsh reality in which their dreams and their desired hopes fade at the moment they reach them.
According to official data issued by the Canadian Statistics Authority, more than 106 thousand and 134 people left the country permanently during the year 2024, the highest number recorded for external migration since 1967. These figures are an indication of the phenomenon of the growing “reverse migration”, in which observers see a direct reflection of economic and social crises that affect the ability of the new arrivals to stability and achieve their aspirations.
Shock and challenges
Malik Ammar, an Arab young man, arrived in Alberta Province in 2020, holding a certificate in computer programming and great aspirations to build a new life and a better future, was pushed in a pink way from the country of opportunities and the prosperous economy, and cultural diversity, but – as he says – he collided from the first months with a completely different reality from what was promoted by social media.
Malik, 30, who was working in Libya before his arrival in Canada in the passport system in border crossings, dreams of working in programming companies in Canada and refining his skills, and after his arrival he began sending his CV to dozens of companies, but he soon discovered that the Canadian labor market requires candidates with “Canadian experience”, in addition to prior relationships, and the equivalent of university degrees that take a long time and financial fees.
Therefore, he had no choice but to start with different works that were not commensurate with his specialization and ambition, so he worked in a meat and restaurant slaughterhouse, in construction and animal breeding on farms, with a salary of $ 15 Canadian ($ 11 USD) per hour.
“I used to work 10 hours a day, and most of my income used to go to secure the rent of housing and the rest of the bills and insurance, which made the saving of money almost impossible,” he told Al -Jazeera Net.
Malik not only collided with the difficulties of the labor market, but also faced another challenge that affected his stability, which is the procedures for obtaining permanent residency and its requirements and waiting for many years for that, as Malik began to feel the increasing frustration and wonder how his condition will be if he married and increased his obligations, to decide in April 2025 and after 5 years of residency in Canada, he left and returned to his country, in search of better living conditions.
The story of Malik is not an exception. Rather, it reflects the reality of many Arab youths who arrive in Canada in search of a better life, and despite their pregnancy for scientific qualifications and high experiences, they find themselves forced to work in temporary jobs or below the level of their qualifications, because of the difficulty of the Canadian labor market requirements.
The unemployment rate in Canada increased to 7%during the month of May, recording its highest level in nearly 9 years, with the exception of the Corona pandemic period, while the number of unemployed reached 1.6 million people, an increase of approximately 14%compared to 2024, according to the Canadian Statistics Authority, and data from employment sites showed that job ads decreased by 22%.
Market needs
For his part, Ahmed Zaqout, 40, tells Al -Jazeera Net his experience in the labor market as a new window to Canada recently with his family consisting of his wife and 3 children, aspiring to stability and professional success, but he collided with a complex job market that requires “Canadian experience” to obtain a job, as well as to a local knowledge network to pay him in the labor market.
Despite his university degree in the press and the media, his 23 -year -old experience in press photography and news coverage, his work with Reuters for 20 years, his international prizes, and his talk to the English language, he was excluded from the jobs presented to him.
He says to Al -Jazeera Net, and it seemed frustrated, “I applied for jobs in my field and less than my educational level and my experience, but every time I am excluded, for the requirements of the customary labor market, and because the level of my expertise is higher than the offered jobs,” he says to Al -Jazeera Net.
Despite the repeated rejection of companies because he is a new coming, and in front of this reality, Ahmed was forced to work in delivering requests and construction and removing snow, in order to cover the rent of high housing, his family expenses and monthly bills, stressing his continued application of jobs in his field, and adhering to his ambition and goals to achieve his opportunity in Canada.
Local reports indicate that 70% of employers in Canada require a Canadian local experience, and about 35% of immigrants do not have certificates of confessing, and 52% do not know both English or French, which constitutes a great obstacle for new immigrants who lack these requirements at the beginning of their career.
The keys to work and integration
In her turn, the consultant of resettlement and integration, Safin, is a valid, that the new arrivals, especially the Arabs, are facing challenges that hinder their integration in the labor market and society, such as the difficulty of obtaining a work in specialization due to poor language mastery, the absence of “Canadian experience” required from employers, and not to recognize scientific qualifications from outside Canada, which requires a complex equation.
It also suffers a lack of knowledge of supportive sources such as language programs and work services, and they face cultural obstacles due to the difference in customs that may lead to isolation, in addition to psychological and financial pressures resulting from the costs of life and future anxiety, which negatively affects their psychological health and increases family problems.
Salha, who is expatriate to Canada 8 years ago, advises the same challenges, and left a clear imprint in her local community, and she recently won the “influential citizen” award from the Alberta government, that arrivals start learning the language through free programs to improve communication and work, start temporary or voluntary work to obtain “Canadian experience” and understand the culture of work, and the equation of academic qualifications early, and thinking about changing specialization to suit The labor market with acceptance of long -term benefits.
And she stresses that despite the difficult challenges in the beginning, understanding of the Canadian system requires patience and acceptance of flexibility in the professional and social path, they are essential keys to achieving integration and stability, considering that building self -confidence and opening up to change is two livestock for the success of the journey in Canada.
Canada remains an attractive destination for Arab immigrants, but the continued high cost of living and labor market challenges may increase reverse immigration rates, especially in Ontario, which witnessed 48% of departure cases in 2024.
To ensure that skilled migrants are kept, the government needs to invest in economic housing, accelerate the assessment of qualifications, and expand Emiratization programs. As for Arab immigrants, good planning and language learning, and building a strong network of knowledge are the keys to success in the Canadian labor market.