Immigrant workers play a vital role in industries across Canada and around the world, from agriculture and healthcare to technology and finance. Yet despite bringing valuable knowledge, skills and experience, many immigrants continue to face significant employment hurdles when trying to establish careers in a new country. A new study by researchers from the UBC Sauder School of Business examines why immigrants often struggle to have their qualifications recognized — and how employers, policymakers and immigrants themselves can help bridge that gap.

In the paper, researchers Snehal Hora, Emily Campion, Sima Sajjadiani and Diana Lee reviewed decades of academic literature on first-generation adult immigrants and their workplace experiences. Using advanced machine learning models, the team analyzed more than 13,000 research papers published between 1888 and 2022. The technology helped narrow the papers to about 5,000 highly relevant studies before identifying major themes across the research. The team eventually focused on 833 papers covering 32 employment-related topics, including hiring discrimination, skill transferability and workplace integration.

The researchers found that one of the biggest challenges immigrants face is translating their human capital — including education, credentials and professional experience — into forms that employers recognize and trust. Degrees, licences and certificates earned abroad are often undervalued because employers may not be familiar with institutions outside their own countries. Immigrants can also struggle with unfamiliar workplace norms, from resume formats to interview expectations, which may unintentionally create barriers during hiring processes. As a result, many highly skilled immigrants end up underemployed or working in positions far below their qualifications, limiting income, career growth and wellbeing while also depriving organizations of valuable talent.

The study found that immigrants who adapt their resumes and professional presentations to align with local expectations can improve their chances of securing jobs that better match their qualifications. According to Dr. Campion, reframing skills and experiences in ways recruiters can easily understand helps legitimize immigrants’ expertise in the eyes of employers. The researchers argue that organizations can also make meaningful improvements by focusing hiring assessments on core competencies rather than assumptions tied to unfamiliar credentials or communication styles. Better systems for recognizing foreign education and professional certifications could help address labour shortages in critical sectors such as healthcare while allowing immigrants to contribute more fully to their new communities.

The research also highlights the important role of social networks in shaping employment outcomes. Immigrants often rely on connections within their own cultural or immigrant communities to find work quickly. Still, those networks may not always provide access to opportunities that match their education or skills. Building broader professional relationships outside familiar social circles can improve access to higher-quality employment and career advancement, particularly for immigrants intending to settle permanently. The researchers note that immigrants’ long-term intentions can also change depending on their experiences: people who initially planned to stay temporarily may decide to remain if they feel welcomed and valued. In contrast, others who hoped to build permanent lives may choose to leave if barriers persist.

The researchers say governments, employers and institutions already have many of the tools needed to create clearer pathways for immigrant workers, but meaningful change requires commitment and resources. At a time when anti-immigrant rhetoric has become increasingly visible in parts of the world, the team warns that countries risk harming their own economies if they fail to recognize the value immigrants bring. Immigrants contribute expertise, innovation, cultural knowledge and international connections that strengthen industries and communities alike. The researchers argue that improving how immigrant talent is recognized and supported is not only beneficial for newcomers themselves, but also essential for countries competing globally for skilled workers and long-term economic growth.

More information: Snehal Hora et al, Translating human capital amid varying intentions to stay: An integrative conceptual review of the immigrant employment attainment process, Applied Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/apl0001343

Journal information: Applied Psychology Provided by University of British Columbia