Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Other Integration Issues
Chapter 10: Immigration
Apart from current economic conditions, Ontario immigrants face a number of persistent
integration challenges that prevent them from performing well in the labour market.
The increased susceptibility of immigrants to low-income status suggests that they are having
a more difficult transition into the labour market. Two of the key drivers of labour-market
success for immigrants are a working knowledge of one of Canada’s official languages and
educational credentials that are accepted by regulatory bodies and potential employers.
Many immigrants arrive with valuable education and work experience, but often face barriers
that impede recognition of their credentials and work experience. This has negative
consequences for their labour-market performance and broader integration within Canadian
society. Potential contributing factors include the relevance of foreign education to the needs
of the Canadian labour market, linguistic ability in English or French, and entry requirements
for some trades and professions.
Language is one of the greatest barriers for immigrants seeking employment or pursuing
further education or training. Knowledge of English or French is crucial to an individual’s job
search and the process of professional, trade or academic accreditation. 11 Citizenship and
Immigration Canada’s (CIC) “Facts and Figures 2010” indicated that about 25.3 per cent of
landed immigrants to Ontario had no English or French language capability. The International
Adult Literacy and Skills Survey (IALSS) 2003 results also confirm that knowledge of an official
language (as measured by the mother tongue of the immigrant) is favourably associated with
literacy performance. Recent proposed changes to the FSW program would increase points
for official language proficiency and younger applicants, place less emphasis on work
experience obtained abroad, and require mandatory third-party educational credential
assessment. The proposed change to the language proficiency requirement is a good first
step towards attracting immigrants who can more successfully integrate into Ontario’s
economy.
11 Shirley B. Seward and Kathryn McDade, “Immigrant Women in Canada: A Policy Perspective,” Canadian Advisory Council on the Status
of Women, 1988; Fernando Mata, “The Non-Accreditation of Immigrant Professionals in Canada: Societal Dimensions of the Problem,”
Department of Canadian Heritage, 1999, downloaded from http://canada.metropolis.net/research-policy/conversation/MATAPAPER.html.
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