Education-Occupation Match in Canada With Bridging Programs

Nisha Menon

Updated On Jun 13, 2024

Education-Occupation Match in Canada With Bridging Programs

A recent report from Statistics Canada (StatsCan) indicates a positive trend: overqualification among Canadian immigrants is decreasing. Overqualification occurs when immigrants are employed in positions that do not fully utilize their education or work experience.

According to the StatsCan report published on May 22, there has been a 4.4% increase in the number of recent immigrants with at least a bachelor’s degree working in jobs that match their qualifications between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.

Education- Occupation Mismatch in Canada: Context of Overqualification

Overqualification has been a persistent issue for new immigrants in Canada. Historical data from StatsCan shows fluctuating rates of "education-occupation mismatch" among recent immigrants since 2001. Here are the data, showing immigrants who were over-educated for their occupation

2001: 28.7%
2006: 32.9%
2011: 27.8%
2016: 31.1%
2021: 26.7%

Education - Occupation Match in Canada: Increasing Alignment

Corresponding data also highlights that 2021 had the highest percentage (44.4%) of recent immigrants with an education-occupation match in two decades. Here are the data showing education-occupation matches in Canada which are as follows:

2001: 48.0%
2006: 43.7%
2011: 43.7%
2016: 40.0%
2021: 44.4%

Bridging Programs: A Solution to Overqualification

New immigrants to Canada can alleviate overqualification by participating in bridging programs. Funded and managed by provincial and territorial governments, these programs help align international education and work experience with Canadian standards.

While not available for all industries, these programs are crucial in helping newcomers gain the necessary accreditation and experience to work in regulated sectors.

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