According to a recent study, newcomers in Canada using social media easily get skilled work. The Toronto Metropolitan University conducted a survey in 2023. It revealed that 65 percent of newcomers, before arriving in Canada, accessed social media for potential jobs. Regarding the overall advantages of using social media before arrival, the TMU study states that pre-arrival social media users had, on average, a 3-for-1 advantage of becoming enrolled in the labor market versus individuals who weren’t using social media before arrival. This means during their initial six months of arrival.
In addition, the study demonstrated that those accessing social media before their arrival had higher chances of getting work. They also had greater chances of getting work aligned with their credentials and offered a higher pay scale.
Newcomers in Canada using social media – How does social media impact their journey?
In 2023, TMU discussed the newcomer’s pre-arrival media usage differently. This includes the impact of social media on pre-arrival search and communication. It also revolves around using varied platforms resulting from the post-arrival labor conclusions.
Here’s a summary of newcomers’ usage of different social media applications.
Pre-arrival interaction and search
The TMU Study outlined that during the “search and interaction” phase of the pre-arrival process, 82% of survey participants reported having associated with a person or group discussing immigration before coming to Canada.
The survey found that, prior to being categorized by gender, newcomers seeking knowledge about job opportunities before arriving in Canada most frequently used the following seven platforms:
- Email/Telephone
- Instant Messaging
- QZone
- Discussion Forums
In addition to the above-mentioned overall findings, TMU’s poll revealed that, among men, Facebook, LinkedIn, and email/phone were the most prevalent three platforms of preference. According to the study’s female participants, Facebook was their top communication choice, followed by phone and email exchanges and QZone.
Looking up for information
The TMU poll examined six distinct categories of information that immigrants searched out, as well as their preferred venues for information search.
Notably, it was evident that for three of these information categories—salary information, guidance on job interviews, and job search advice, LinkedIn was the most reliable source.
The TMU survey examined the most widely used social media sites and platforms by recent immigrants seeking information on job licensing requirements. These included higher education or skill training and instruction in English or French, in addition to the previously mentioned topics.
The study found that, depending on the kind of information sought, the top three favorite sources varied slightly.
Job Search Suggestion
- Settlement Service Agencies
- Email or Telephone
Job Interview Suggestion
- Settlement Service Agencies
- Facebook & Discussion Forums (tied)
Income Details
- Email/Telephone
- Discussion Forums
Professional Licensing Requirements
- Email/Telephone
- Discussion Forums
- Settlement Service Agencies
Higher Education or Skill Training
- Email/Telephone
- Discussion Forums
French or English Training
- Discussion Forums
- Instant Messaging
- Settlement Service Agencies & Snapchat or Instagram or TikTok (tied)
What about the Post-Arrival Labor Conclusions/Results?
The TMU study discovered two findings that, when combined, showed a favorable association between immigrants’ usage of social media prior to arrival and their employment after landing in Canada. These findings related to the kind of work these immigrants gained and the pay levels they obtained.
In particular, it was discovered that almost 75% of survey participants who informed TMU they had discovered employment that “was either ‘very’ or ‘quite’ related to their skills” had previously used social media. For Canadian immigrants, finding work relevant to their prior work experience in their home country is a major worry. This study shows a considerable correlation between social media use prior to arrival and the ability to locate relevant employment after arriving in Canada.
Similarly, the TMU study claimed that pre-arrival social media users accounted for nearly 80% of immigrants who acquired high-paying occupations. However, prior to moving to Canada, nearly 75% of immigrants who gained uncertain low-paying work did not access social media.
Newcomers in Canada using social media easily get skilled work
To be more precise, the accompanying figures arbitrarily classified into income brackets reveal the disparities in income between the respondents who used social media before their arrival and the respondents who did not.
- Participants with incomes of $15,000 or less: Of those who arrived, 76.5% did not utilize social media (23.5% did).
- Individuals who replied and made between $15,001 and $29,999: 25% didn’t use social media prior to arrival, while 75% did.
- In the case of those making between $30,000 and $49,999, 73.3% had used social media before to travel, while 26.7% had not.
- Among those whose income ranged from $50,000 to $74,999, 81.6% had utilized social media prior to their arrival, while 18.4% had not.
- Individuals who replied and made between $75,000 and $99,999: 25% didn’t use social media prior to arrival, while 75% did.
- Among respondents with incomes between $100,000 and $150,000, 81.1% had utilized social media prior to arrival (18.9% did not).
Social media usage on an enormous scale despite an array of experiences
Several pre-arrival newcomers used social media before they arrived in Canada. Still, for several reasons, most TMU survey participants reported having difficulty accessing social media as a source of information.
- Low confidence: When accessing social media to learn about the Canadian labor market, 99 persons lacked faith in the information.
- Distortion: When 166 people used social media to research the Canadian labor market, they encountered fake news or misinformation (erroneous information).
- Scam: When 67 persons used social media to research the Canadian labor market, they encountered fraud, identity theft, privacy issues, or security risks.
- The absence of requisite knowledge or skills: When using social media to gain knowledge about the Canadian labor market, 99 persons lacked the requisite information, skills, or training.
If you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our MakeHomeCanada experts at 1-800-979-0509, or you can drop us an email at [email protected].
