Obstacles to finding skilled employment for Immigrant Women

A casebook example of systemic discrimination
These results highlight a situation of systemic discrimination brought about by several factors: sex, part of a visible minority group, and of foreign origin. This cross discrimination permeates practices, behaviors, and influential policy makers such as the State, businesses, professional associations, universities and the immigrated family.
Discrimination in the workplace: the concrete ceiling
Discrimination in the workplace can be explicit or implicit i.e. concealed in seemingly objective professional requirements (modern racism and sexism).
Some of the obstacles identified by the study are:

• Difficult to have qualifications and foreign diplomas acknowledged;
• Refusal to hire someone who speaks with a foreign accent, refusal to acknowledge work experience acquired abroad, recruit employees through networks in which immigrants are absent;
• Discourteous remarks made during the average work day, increased overview of work performance, skepticism regarding their true competence, client hostility;
• Overrepresentation in precarious jobs with poor conditions, limited training and opportunities for advancement: telemarketing, small businesses, cleaning.

Adding to the difficulties of finding skilled employment these workers often face insurmountable obstacles juggling the demands of family and work. For instance:

• difficulty finding available daycare;
• imposition of difficult work hours (working nights or weekends);
• long route between work and home.

The Quebec diploma: a guarantee for success?
A diploma acquired in Quebec doesn't necessarily improve the fate of these women. Recent research has shown that acquiring a diploma in the host country has a limited effect on professional integration and the risk of deskilling.

http://www.nouvelles.umontreal.ca/udem-news/news/being-an-immigrant-and-a-woman-two-major-obstacles-to-finding-skilled-employment.html

have you read the article?  Please post your suggestions for how immigrant women can overcome these difficulties before the government get around to changing policies.  How can we use network to help other immigrant women land jobs.