Category: **ESPC Documents: Publications

Underemployment and Unemployment within ethno-cultural communities in Edmonton: an Environmental Scan and Database. Report by the Multicultural Health Brokers Coop, December 2009.

(not available online – contact the ESPC library or the MHBC to read this report)

This report takes a look at barriers to employment faced by immigrants to Edmonton. It does this through the eyes of these immigrants by providing their perspectives as gathered in focus groups and surveys.
This report is based on quantitative and qualitative data from Edmonton’s ethnic communities. The data identifies several key issues in this group:

• Unemployment for immigrants is more than seven times the provincial rate.
• Trained professionals have difficulty gaining employment.
• Non-native English speakers have more difficulty finding work than native English speakers.
• Information about employment prior to immigration is inadequate.

Despite all these barriers, attitudes towards employment in Canada, once it is attained, are mostly favourable.

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