ABSTRACT
When transnational migrants arrive in a new country, many of them face multifaceted barriers in transition into work and learning in the host society, with language and employment as the most frequently cited barriers. In the context of Canada, for example, despite the fact that immigrants bring significant human capital resources to the Canadian labour force, my research has shown that many highly educated immigrant professionals experienced deskilling and devaluation of their prior learning and work experience upon arrival (Guo 2009, 2013a, 2013b). One troubling aspect of the deskilling experience is the precarious nature of work and learning for immigrants, characterised by part-time employment, low wages, job insecurity, high risk of poor health and limited social benefits and statutory entitlements (Guo 2013a). As a consequence, many have suffered unemployment and underemployment, poor economic performance and downward social mobility. Recent immigrants’ negative experience in Canada can be attributed to a triple glass effect, including a glass gate, glass door and glass ceiling, which may converge to create multiple structural barriers and affect immigrants’ new working lives at different stages of their integration and transition processes (Guo 2013b).
