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As a multi-generational, born-and-raised Canadian citizen. Recently, I have been unemployed for 1 year and 2 months, which is the longest I have ever gone without a job in my entire life. My EI has run out, and during this stressful time, I have only had 4 actual interviews with real human beings. I am also a caregiver for both of my parents, and working remotely has been my profession for the last 7 years. Remote work allows me to both care for them and bring in a full-time income. Despite having 30 years of customer service experience, I find myself being overlooked. Many companies now use AI to prescreen resumes, so if your resume isn’t ATS-friendly, it often never gets seen by a human. Even if you make it past that stage, there are endless AI-driven assessments before you even have a chance to speak with someone. And when you finally do, it’s often yet another layer of screening rather than a real interview. I know I bring value — I consistently receive compliments from customers across cultures for speaking clearly, precisely, and making their experience enjoyable. Yet I find myself competing with younger candidates who can work longer hours, or new immigrants that companies often prioritize, sometimes with government incentives. At 55, I feel like I’m being overlooked despite my proven skills and professionalism. Right now, I live with my retired parents and should be caring for them. Instead, my father is helping me pay my bills so I don’t ruin the credit I worked so hard to build. If I don’t secure a job soon, I fear I’ll lose everything else I’ve managed to hold onto. The stress is overwhelming — I cry daily, and on top of everything, I also face health issues of my own, but I have no space to focus on them because survival takes priority. Canada today feels very different from the country I grew up in. Since the pandemic, things have become harder in every way — jobs, housing, and simply living. Even if I manage to secure work, rent alone now takes up nearly 75% of what I’d earn, not even including other basic bills. It’s disheartening to feel like no matter how hard I push, I can’t get ahead.

Hi… I totally agree with just about everything you stated in all aspects of the Indian community. I’m a Canadian who happens to be living in Brampton for the past 12 years. I’ve watched Brampton go from a beautiful community to a dark dreaded place to live , and this is truly because of Indian behaviours. Mind you I have many genuinely good intelligent respectful Indian friends, but there’s the others that thinks they owe the city, province, and country. They don’t respect no one, and I mean no one. NOT EVEN THEIR OWN KIND (Indians/ Punjab). And yes as a Canadian citizen whenever I see something I do call them out on it. However; the moment you say something to them they assume that you’re cursing at them and what was ment to be a respectful comment becomes a situation where they want to argue and even get into a physical fight. Then there’s the bad, careless driving on the streets with no regards to the next person’s life. They drive like their car is the only one on the street yet always looking for someone to race with not to mention the illegal U-TURN creating major accidents. I personally experienced this when a Tractor Trailer Driver tried making a U-TURN on the city street with only 4 lanes for both direction at 4AM in the morning. This caused me to almost ran under the trailer body which would have been the end of my life. They butt into lines and interrupts as much as business conversations thinking their concerns are way more important than anyone else’s and That’s just to name a few things.\nNow on the other hand I do have VERY GOOD RESPECTFUL INDIAN FRIENDS who I will never let go of our friendship because of their genuine respectful relationship although even those close friends are now pulling themselves away from their own country people and all because of the others behaviour.\nThirdly; YES, the Canadian government invites foreign students into the country with improper sources to monitor and direct a governing body to monitor and process the activities of foreign students .\n\nI love your honesty in your stories back your video clips as proof of your country men behaviour. Keep up your good work and try spreading your positivity among your community.

Not so acurate information. During the college time students can work only 20h/week. Unless it has changed. \n\nAlso, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to get permanent residency before graduation because you need Canadian experience (full time) for at least 1 year in specialized areas. \n\nOnly if you successfully complete your program you get the full time work visa per 3y. In this time it’s going to be possible TO APPLY for permanent residence. \n\nBut not only that. Canadian experience give you extra points in the immigration program, but also a Bachelor’s degree, or a master degree, work experience in your back country, English level, and age. \n\nI don’t know for certain countries if the rules are different, but as long as I know, it’s the same for everybody. \n\nWhen I came as an international student, I had to prove the college was paid, also show I had enough money to support myself for 1y without work. Also, the program at college that costs $4000/semester for a Canadian student, it costs $8-10.000 for an international student. \n\nMy work visa (during college) allowed me 20h per week working only. \n\nTo get my study visa approved I had to show intermediate English, money, work experience, Bachelor’s degree (I have also a master’s), and explain why I wanted to study in Canada and why that program was related to my current career. \n\nTalking about jobs; I have worked as a housekeeper in a hospital (on weekends). After I graduated I became supervisor. \n\nSome people complain about students and immigrants getting the jobs, but what I’ve seen was a lot of people complaining EVERY DAY about their jobs, about their lives, etc…but doing absolutely nothing to change it.\n\nI got here as a student, I became immigrant, I worked as a cleaner, I graduated at college.after 2y working full time I got the permanent residence, and I was back to school. \nI got a Master’s degree at McMaster University, and now I am a manager in a big hospital. \nImmigrants taking the jobs??? I don’t believe so. I did to deserve it. \n\nSo, don’t put everybody on the same basket. There are bad people I know, but also there are people willing to grow and make the country grow as well. \n\nLast, but not least, I don’t think the COUNTRY has more people that they can handle. I think the big cities have. Government should look into that. Everybody wants to come to Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. It’s a big problem. \n\nToday I’m a Canadian Citizen, I respect the laws, I respect people, I respect the life in society, and I do not look to impose my culture in here, I’m proud to live here and I want this country to grow even more.

The biggest issue for me as a person of colour is the systemic racism in the workplace, society, healthcare, housing. I’m still seen as a 2nd class citizen and denied the ripe opportunities only reserved for white Canadians. Even though I’m now a Canadian citizen myself and highly educated, there is still that double standard. You will love Canada if you’re white, but if you’re not, be prepared for daily micro-aggressions, demoralizations, constant rejection and harassment. As an example, I walked in with a white man to get my COVID shot. I faced so much resistant and questioning while he in the exact same position as me, got through fine. Don’t get me started at when I’ve been accused of stealing in a grocery store by a Karen. The colour of your skin is still very much a differentiator even in the metropolitan cities like Toronto/Vancouver.

I moved to Canada about 17 years ago and yes it is an absolute pain to jump through all the hoops they want you to go through. I was only here a few days and I came from Ireland as a brick and stone mason they recruited me from Ireland and wanted me to come out. Within three days on the job I learned I would be getting less wages than the other bricklayers. I packed up my tools and walked off the job I notified the employer and the union by emails and told him I’d be flying back home in a few days. Well the union and the employers came running straight away to get me to stay. Trying to explain that after a couple of months I’d be on the same money as the rest of the guys. This is where I explain to them that taking home C$1100 was already a pay cut a massive pay cut as are used to take home 2500 to 2200 Euros living in Ireland. I moved to Canada for a change of lifestyle but that doesn’t mean I was going to be taken advantage of. And that’s when they said they would pay me the same as everybody else. Sometimes you just have to stand up for yourself and be willing to follow through. They even reimbursed me for the airline ticket I bought to go back. Some skill sets they really need in this country in addition Canadians population growth is absolutely dependent upon immigration as the family sizes and birth rates are critically to lol to sustained a country. As I’ve said I’ve been living here 17 years now and I am a Canadian citizen I guess that makes me an Irish Canadian now.

As a Canadian citizen I’ve never made 50000.