Filipino Immigrants in Canada Face 60% Overqualification as Credential Barriers Block Licensed Work
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 6
Filipino Immigrants in Canada Face 60% Overqualification as Credential Barriers Block Licensed Work
1 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 6
Summary
Statistics Canada data for 2021 show 60.4% of Filipino male newcomers and 63.5% of female newcomers with postsecondary degrees were overqualified for their jobs.
Kababayan Multicultural Centre says unrecognized Philippine credentials, lengthy licensing steps and unaffordable fees push many newcomers into immediate "survival jobs" instead of regulated professions.
Ontario nursing applicants must clear credential recognition, exams, practice requirements and background checks, a process that left some Filipino-trained nurses working as attendants, caregivers or personal support workers.
University of Waterloo economist Mikal Skuterud said education-quality gaps, language barriers, weaker networks and employer unfamiliarity with foreign schools also deepen the mismatch.
Settlement groups say funding cuts have reduced advanced English training, limiting support that could help Filipino newcomers move into work that better matches their skills.