Immigrants and the Job Search: Comparing the Internet to Other Paths to Jobs

Highly educated immigrants face many barriers to employment in Canada, especially in acquiring jobs at the same level as those they had held prior to migration. This exploratory study focuses on the outcome of the job searches of skilled PRC immigrants. Local employers rarely recognize the immigrants' human capital as indicated by their foreign credentials and work experience. Immigrants can alter this reception somewhat by sending 'signals' to prospective employers that do not denote these foreign attributes. We compare three job search paths - social networks, employment agents, and the Internet - to describe how each constructs and filters 'signals' about their capabilities and appropriateness for various jobs. We then determine which path results in better employment. Analyzing data from 303 respondents to our online survey and 28 follow-up interviews, our results suggest that the Internet is the best path to obtain good employment, measured by job status