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In my last article, “From warm welcome to harsh reality: ‘False hope’ and the newcomer experience,” I explored the challenges newcomers face due to systemic barriers, policies and procedures, and highlighted the concept and impact of false hope syndrome.
In this article, I aim to propose actionable solutions to lower these barriers and make employment and education more accessible for skilled newcomers by examining this issue through various lenses.
False hope syndrome: A path toward realism
Managing expectations and providing a realistic image of life in Canada is essential. Many newcomers arrive with high hopes about work, education and lifestyle expectations shaped by media portrayals and political narratives.
Does this mean that Canada is not a good place to live? Absolutely not. Canada offers many opportunities. However, the expectations newcomers carry are often far greater than the reality, creating a disconnect that needs to be addressed.
What to do: Building a bridging culture between newcomers and Canadians
To create a truly inclusive Canada, we need to build a bridging culture – one that connects newcomers and Canadians through shared understanding, collaboration and action. Here’s a strategic, step-by-step approach:
1. Awareness & education
- Realistic pre-arrival information: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada should provide accurate and transparent pre-arrival orientation on employment, housing, credential recognition and social integration.
- Canadian lens training: Develop workshops for newcomers on Canadian workplace culture, rights, responsibilities, and requirements. That includes providing newcomers with entry-level certification prior to arrival, such as WHMIS and FoodSafe certificates.
- Cultural literacy for Canadians: Offer education in schools, workplaces and communities about newcomer experiences and systemic barriers to employment and housing, and encourage open dialogue among elected officials and the public regarding cultural representation and the value of cultural diversity.
2. Community-based bridging initiatives & anti-racism
- Mentorship programs: Pair newcomers with Canadian professionals to support career navigation, networking and credentialling pathways.
- Cultural exchange events: Create spaces where people can gather in circles to discuss, give feedback and connect on shared challenges, including political issues and economic pressures. Circle-based conversations, which are a common practice across many cultures, foster an open, safe space and encourage storytelling with respect and dignity.
- Volunteer bridges: Encourage joint community service projects where Canadians and newcomers collaborate, fostering cultural safety for all, including Indigenous peoples worldwide.
3. Policy & system navigation
- Credential recognition reform: Advocate for pre-arrival assessments and credential recognition to save time and effort, while ensuring accessibility and affordability for those applying to school or work.
- Inclusive hiring practices: Establish an association for inclusive employers, supported by government incentives, so employees feel safe and employers are motivated to embrace inclusive hiring.
- Accessible services: Ensure language and transportation are not barriers to accessing settlement services, health care and education.
4. Building resilience & support networks
- Mental health supports: Create trauma-informed programs that address migration stress and false hope syndrome, normalize mental health support and respect cultural sensitivities.
- Peer support circles: Facilitate both newcomer-to-newcomer and newcomer-to-Canadian support groups.
- Community champions: Highlight success stories to inspire resilience and demonstrate that integration, while gradual, is possible.
5. Call to action: Forming a bridging culture initiative
It is time for newcomers and Canadians alike to move beyond welcoming words and begin building bridges. A bridging culture initiative can become the foundation for a Canada where expectations meet reality with honesty, where talent and skills are recognized, and where cultures enrich one another rather than collide.
I invite community members, employers, policymakers, educators and newcomers themselves to join in shaping this initiative. Together, we can create spaces of learning, mentorship and collaboration that transform challenges into opportunities.
Let us build not just a welcoming Canada, but a culture of connection one where belonging is shared, diversity is lived and hope is grounded in truth.
