Many immigrants come to Edmonton every year, often bringing their families, culture and traditions with them. This provides Edmonton with a valuable source of labour, knowledge and experience but also presents challenges as immigrants need assistance and education regarding the culture of the Edmonton region and its workforce.
Workforce challenges for newcomers include:
- Language barriers
- Lack of Canadian work experience
- Lack of recognition of foreign credentials
- Disconnect between the skills immigrants bring and hope to use; and the occupations that employers hope they can fill once they arrive
- Lack of recognition of previous experience
- Lack of connections in the job market
- Lack of skills bridging opportunities
- Lack of full understanding of Canadian workplace culture
- Negative public attitudes and negative practices of some employers
- Length of time it takes to bring foreign workers here.