If you’ve immigrated to Canada, chances are you’ve heard the phrase “Canadian work experience.”
And if you’ve heard it, chances are it made your heart sink just a little.
A recent research report by Marlize Underhay, completed in collaboration with the South African Institute of Canada, puts proper data behind what many South Africans already know from lived experience: the system doesn’t always work the way it promises.
Skilled In. Shut Out.
Canada selects immigrants based on skills, qualifications, and experience.
But once you arrive, a strange paradox kicks in:
You can’t get a job without Canadian experience.
But you can’t get Canadian experience without a job.
According to the research, nearly 70% of skilled South Africans surveyed ran into the Canadian experience barrier.
More than half were told outright they didn’t qualify because they lacked local experience. Others weren’t told directly — it was simply implied.
And here’s the frustrating part: almost nobody can clearly explain what “Canadian experience” actually means.
The Cost of Starting Over
Many South Africans arrive with degrees, post-graduate qualifications, and years (sometimes decades) of professional experience. Yet:
- Over 50% ended up working in jobs below their skill level
- Nearly 70% said this permanently set them back financially
- Savings were wiped out
- Career momentum stalled
- Long-term plans like buying a home or investing were delayed
These are what many people refer to as “survival jobs” — work taken just to keep the lights on while trying to rebuild a career from scratch.
Credentials That Don’t Carry Over
Almost 70% of participants had their qualifications formally assessed before or after arriving in Canada.
Yet 84% still had to re-qualify, retrain, or obtain new licences.
On paper, they were qualified enough to immigrate.
In practice, they still had to prove themselves all over again.
This disconnect — being “good enough to get in, but not good enough to work” — is what the report calls the credential paradox.
It’s Not Just Skills — It’s Networks
Interestingly, the second-biggest barrier after Canadian experience wasn’t language or education.
It was lack of networks.
Almost half of respondents said not knowing the right people was a bigger obstacle than their qualifications. And that’s exactly why the South African Institute of Canada exists — to help rebuild the professional and personal networks many of us left behind when we emigrated.
In Canada, who you know still matters more than most people like to admit.
Is It Discrimination? Legally, Yes.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has officially called the Canadian experience requirement discriminatory, unless it can be proven as a genuine job necessity.
As a result:
- Ontario has banned it in more than 30 professions
- British Columbia has passed legislation targeting unfair credential recognition
Change is happening — but slowly, unevenly, and not everywhere.
Why Some People Leave Again
The emotional toll is real.
According to the study:
- 35% of skilled South Africans are considering leaving Canada
- 12% have already decided to go
Not because they don’t want to contribute — but because the system makes it unnecessarily hard to belong.
So What Can You Do?
The advice from those who’ve been through it is consistent:
- Network early and aggressively
- Be mentally prepared to take a step back before moving forward
- Get involved in communities and professional groups
- Don’t try to do this alone
And most importantly — know that this is not a personal failure.
The system is flawed. Not you.
Want to Read the Full Report?
You can download and read the full research report here: https://thesouthafricaninstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Marlize_Underhay_GBLD640-Final-Report.pdf
The Credential Paradox: Skilled, Educated and Excluded
by Marlize Underhay
(MA, Global Leadership – Royal Roads University)
If this story feels familiar — or if you’re new to Canada and navigating this right now — you’re not alone. And that’s exactly why we’re here.
