Media Stories

Not specifically about newcomers, but very applicable... From food processing to warehouses to delivery services, the workers deemed essential to maintaining the country’s vital supply chain are significantly more likely to be low-wage and racialized compared to the rest of the labour market, according to new statistics from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The federal government has promised to pay the wages of hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers in an extraordinary move to help nurse the economy through the COVID-19 crisis. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that Ottawa’s promised wage subsidy program will now apply to all firms, big and small, that have suffered a sharp revenue loss because of the impact of the virus. >> COVID-19-related

The number of doctors available to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic could be increased if the government or regulatory bodies would cut red tape so foreign-educated doctors could get accredited more quickly, according to a report released Monday. >> Health care; COVID-19-related

In little more than a week, Ottawa has launched two emergency income relief programs totalling $15-billion, scrapped them, and then introduced a $40-billion replacement that upends decades of employment insurance rules... The federal government projects that four million workers will apply for the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which will pay $2,000 a month for four months to individuals who have lost income because of the novel coronavirus. >> COVID-19-related

As hundreds of thousands of Canadians join the ranks of the unemployed amid the continuing COVID-19 epidemic, some companies are seeing increased demand – and hiring accordingly... Among those hiring are Walmart Canada, Amazon and Dollarama, along with some grocery and drug store chains, medical supply makers, some cleaning and security services and IT firms that enable remote work. >> COVID-19-related; Food processing and production; security; retail

Toronto labour and employment lawyer Hermie Abraham answered Star reader questions about workers’ rights. Over 75 questions were answered in the session, so we’ve compiled a Q&A table of contents regarding workers rights and COVID-19 — from the rights of laid-off workers to childcare concerns.>> COVID-19-related

With employers asking their employees to take a pay reduction or face lay off, take banked vacation if they miss work due to illness in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, some workers are wondering what will happen to them in the name of cost reduction and what their rights are. >> COVID-19-related

The federal government announced Wednesday a new benefit, called the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), to help those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. This new plan combines the two benefits the government announced last week – the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit. The single benefit is designed to make it easier for people to apply and receive money, including contract workers and the self-employed.. >> COVID-19-related

Employers typically can’t impose temporary layoffs unless they have a contractual right to do so (through collective agreements in unionized workplaces or individual employment contracts) or, in some seasonal or cyclical industries such as construction, an implied right based on past practices. Without a contract, the law generally requires companies to pay fired workers a severance, not simply send them home with no pay and a promise it will be temporary. But legal experts say the widespread disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak could provide justification for employers to use temporary layoffs despite having no contractual right. >> COVID-19-related

Five years ago the arrival of a wave of refugees caused much consternation and fueled support for Germany’s far-right. Now, the country is turning to its migrant community to plug an anticipated shortage of medical staff battling the coronavirus.. >> Health care; COVID-19-related.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to shape the economy, one expert is reminding Canadians that they have the right to refuse unsafe work under the country’s labour code. >> COVID-19-related

Surging demand for critical products has created an immediate need for more workers, forcing some companies to alter normal hiring practices. >> Retail; Warehouse; COVID-19-related

Labour leaders are calling on the federal and Ontario governments to take immediate steps to protect the health and safety of construction workers across Canada during the coronavirus pandemic. The Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) says there is no protocol for dealing with the pandemic on construction sites, including following the advice of health experts for hand hygiene and social distancing. >> Construction; COVID-19-related

Grocery stores are stepping up their efforts to hire temporary workers to cope with a surge in demand on store services as a result of the new coronavirus. >> Retail; COVID-19 emergency aid

Demand for home delivery is rising, and New Yorkers barricaded in their homes are leaning more and more on a largely immigrant work force. >> Driving-local delivery; COVID-19-related

The closure of many retailers, public spaces and services as the country self-isolates for the foreseeable future is putting so much pressure on those companies still operating that many say they have to hire to keep up. Companies Ltd.and Shoppers drug Mart are among those hiring. >> Pharmacy; Retail; Warehouse; COVID-19-related

Feeding their children has become even more of a struggle for Edmonton refugees and newer Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, say the advocates trying to help them... Financial assistance is on the way, the province says. This week the Alberta government unveiled a $60-million emergency fund that will be provided to help social services organizations respond to critical needs. >> COVID-19-related

COVID-19 is highlighting how much we depend on a whole constellation of ... humble occupations. Millions of so-called “low skill” workers are ... indispensable to our well-being, possibly even our survival. And unlike those of us who can work from home and make other adjustments to survive the lockdown, these workers can’t. They have to keep working: both to earn income (most wouldn’t even qualify for Employment Insurance), and to serve us. >> Driving-local delivery; Early childhood care and development; Restaurant; Retail; COVID-19-related

Gig companies promoted their flexible hours as an economic lifeline for workers. In the coronavirus outbreak, it has been anything but. >> Driving-local delivery; Driving-taxi and rideshare; COVID-19-related.

Who qualifies for EI? How do I apply? What if I don't qualify for EI? >> COVID-19-related

What aid can you get if you’re sick or quarantined? Who is eligible for EI? What if I got laid off but I’m not sick or in quarantine? COVID-19 relief measures: For People; What if I run my own business and I’ve had to close down? How long will it take to be paid? >>COVID-19-related.

Janitors are going into offices to battle the invisible germs that threaten public health, sometimes without adequate protection or information about what they are facing. So many, if not most, are immigrants. >> COVID-19-related.

The province is moving to introduce legislation to protect jobs and waive the necessity to provide medical notes for sick leave during the COVID-19 crisis. The proposed legislation would cover workers in isolation or quarantine and those who have to be away from the job to care for children because of school or daycare issues.>> COVID-19-related

Why it makes sense for Canada to maintain high immigration levels in time of crisis... While Canada welcomes immigrants to help fill immediate job vacancies, its immigration policies are also meant to strengthen the country’s economic standing years and decades from now. This means that even if newcomers arrive during an economic downturn, Canada expects the same newcomers to be catalysts for economic growth in the future.

Four Canadian companies were recognized for helping immigrants find work and settle into their communities. The four are: Glen Haven Manor— New Glasgow, Nova Scotia; KPMG in Canada— Toronto, Ontario; MUFG Fund Services Ltd.— Halifax, Nova Scotia; and White Hat Drycleaners and Commercial Laundry— Campbell River, B.C.

Health experts worry that the roles women hold in society, such as nurses or caregivers, place them squarely in the virus’s path. >> COVID-19-related; women

Last year, a former Syrian refugee decided to open a tailoring shop at the mall in Bridgewater, N.S. With his tailoring business doing well, his company started growing. >> Fashion; Sewing; Entrepreneurship.

Dream Network has officially launched, with the aim of connecting underrepresented founders, including refugee and other newcomers, with potential investment opportunities. The network encompasses a number of different programs and initiatives, all focused around building opportunities for founders that often face barriers to raising capital. It is also bringing together organizations like Jumpstart, #MoveTheDial, The Big Push, and CIX, which will be sources of programming, and has a heavy angel investor component that includes Angel Investors Ontario, Maple Leaf Angels, Equation Angels, and NACO.

The traditional approach of measuring the performance of immigrants in Canada’s economy can be misleading. Three reasons why income is a misleading indicator of economic integration.

The story of one men's grooming salon in Toronto goes deeper than just the good news of a new business opening. The establishment's owner says he's now living his dream with his eponymous shop which he's opened in what was formerly a hair salon he worked at in Scarborough. >> Hairstyling, Entrepreneurship

Docents at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia have not always reflected its diverse, vibrant collection. A new program at the University of Pennsylvania-affiliated museum, called Global Guides aims to change that. >> Arts and entertainment

A Nova Scotia nursing home believes it's found part of the solution to a staff shortage: It looked for candidates at a Kenyan refugee camp and has extended 11 job offers. >> Nursing

Amid the typical criteria of job seekers such as location, compensation and opportunity, an often overlooked aspect of the job search is workplace safety, as the injury rate for new workers — regardless of age — is three to four times higher in the first month on a job than the normal rate. >> Youth

Many immigrants leave New Brunswick because there are no employment opportunities beyond entry-level jobs. A new Instagram account called jobinclusionnb was created to share stories of immigrant workers and of companies that have embraced them.

When newcomers with professional skills, experience and qualifications arrive in Canada, they often face barriers to success. The Ontario government’s fall economic and fiscal update emphasized the importance of immigration to the province’s labour needs.

Well-educated professionals from Nigeria are turning their eyes to Canada after the U.S. expanded its visa and travel bans.

Inspired by the feasts they would serve to visiting friends, a married couple who settled in the small community of Winkler, Manitoba in 2009 and 2011, took the plunge last year and opened their own Filipino restaurant, Cucina Filipinas. The mayor of Winkler, says success stories like theirs were possible because "the acceptance of the immigrant community has been absolutely phenomenal." >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

When immigrants arrive in Canada, there’s a reluctance — and sometimes outright refusal — to recognize their professional credentials and experience. Going back to school to get that degree from scratch is out of reach for many, in terms of both time and money. Jan De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade suggested solution? A six-month set of refresher courses, followed by a co-op placement. >> Construction; Health care; IT (Information technology); Retail

An investigation of the challenges and exploration of what makes private refugee sponsorship successful. The research is based upon interviews with 34 key informants in Toronto, including sponsors from sponsorship groups, settlement sector staff and volunteers and Sponsorship Agreement Holders, which are organizations with signed government agreements to oversee the sponsorship and resettlement of refugees in their community.

The story of a newcomer who opened Amado's Pita, a Lebanese restaurant, bakery and grocery store in Regina, in 2005. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship.

Starting over in a new city is not easy, let alone an entirely new country, but a newcomer from Syria is proving that with a little help and determination, anything is possible. >> Restaurant, Entrepreneurship

One in every two immigrants with an engineering degree is working in the field, compared to two-thirds of their Canadian-born counterparts with the same level of education, according to a recent Statistics Canada study. >> Engineering

In 2017, Quebec experienced a wave of refugee claimants streaming across the border to apply for asylum in Canada. Many of those people are still waiting for their hearings with the Canadian government. They've been waiting so long their 2-year work permits are now expiring, and many people able and willing to find work on their own are out of a job and on public assistance.

Ontario is so desperate for industrial painters, sewing-machine operators and electronic assemblers that it wants to throw open its doors to lower-skilled foreign workers, promising them permanent residency in exchange for taking up a job in manufacturing. The catch is the newcomers have to work outside Greater Toronto. >> Manufacturing

Artists Among Us: Arriving in Kitchener an artistic rebirth for Syrian refugee. >> Arts and entertainment

Montreal aims to break down barriers for immigrants in the workplace by encouraging employers to favour diversity in their workforces by making it a company value and requiring managers to implement inclusive policies.

Growing up blind, a refugee newcomer from Iraq was told he would never amount to much. That changed after he received a tool that helped him unlock his capabilities — a phone. He escaped war, crossed three continents and became an Apple employee — all without the use of his eyes. >> IT (Information technology); Disability

A Syrian refugee newcomer who co-founded the successful non-profit organization, Jumpstart, has also become influential in the development of Canadian public policy, after just a short time in Canada.

Until recently, Syrian food was hard to come by in Toronto. But that's starting to change, thanks to the recent influx of more than 40,000 Syrian refugees to Canada — including around 11,000 in Toronto, where Syrian cuisine is beginning to take root. >> Catering, Food preparation and service, Restaurant, Entrepreneurship

Some critics voice concerns they never act on. When Hoda Katebi couldn’t find the kind of fashion company she wanted to do business with, she created it herself - an immigrant and refugee-run fashion production cooperative on Chicago’s North Side, called Blue Tin Production. How is her vision of a humane workplace playing out? >> Fashion. Sewing; Entrepreneurship

Toronto-based WeWorkingWomen, a group of Chinese entrepreneurs and businesspeople fills an education gap for Chinese newcomers and has built a community of like-minded women who can reach out to each other for support. >> Entrepreneurship

Having access to work is considered a human right, due in large part to its potential to allow us to flourish, experience satisfaction and fulfil our potential. As with people from all walks of life, meaningful work provides a wide range of physical and mental health benefits, while also helping to maintain the skills of the individual, and help them to integrate into their host community. Indeed, such gainful employment can help to advance the individual beyond an identity as an asylum seeker, and towards a meaningful member of the community. So how can this best be achieved?

In a precedent-setting labour board battle over the future of the gig economy, food delivery giant Foodora is arguing its couriers are independent contractors, a category of worker that cannot unionize and is defined by freedom and flexibility on the job. >> Driving-local delivery; Entrepreneurship

An industrial company in Sudbury was desperate to fill positions until it hired 6 welders from Mexico. >> Construction; Welding; Manufacturing

An Afghani refugee couple, who own Jamila's Kitchen and Grill in Coquitlam, B.C. have placed a sign outside that reads, 'No Money, No Worries. We love to serve our community. We will provide free food for those who do not have money. Please ask inside.' >> Restaurant

Women who are new immigrants in B.C. have an especially difficult time finding jobs in the tech sector, according to a Vancouver-based diversity and inclusion expert. 'Often, immigrant women who come in don't have the self-confidence or even the mindset to approach people that they don't know at all and form that first connection,' says co-founder of Immigrant and International Women in Science. >> IT (Information technology); Women

The media often frames the effort to aid migrants around what citizens of the West are doing, but migrants themselves are also aiding their peers. This includes Syrian newcomer to Toronto, Wasim Meslmani, who began collaborating with Stephen Watt on a Facebook page before his arrival in Canada.

Women at Aliments Ensemble cook up Syrian treats, learning French and job skills while they're at it. >> Food preparation and service; Basic skills with English; Entrepreneurship; Training with newcomer focus; Women

Hundreds of Yazidi refugees harvested more than 9,000 kilograms of produce this year as part of a special farming project in Manitoba. The food was given to refugee families and leftovers were sold at farmers markets or given to food banks. >> Farming; Women

The North Bay Skilled Newcomer Career Loan program (SNCL) program provides newcomers with the financial support and flexibility to explore jobs in their sector while highlighting both the skills and talents newcomers bring with them to new communities, and the systemic barriers newcomers face to labour market integration. >> Loans

We wanted to try to understand the true costs of free shipping and look at the ways in which Amazon's rapid delivery guarantees are changing not only customer habits, but also the nature of courier jobs and, in some ways, the city itself. >> Driving-local delivery

Not all immigrants face the same challenges in the Canadian job market, with those who had work experience in Canada prior to obtaining their permanent residence status reporting the highest earnings a year after admission to the country.

Syrian newcomers celebrate first anniversary of restaurant they opened in Edmonton in Dec, 2018. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Job-seeking help provided to a Syrian refugee family by the London Employment Help Centre (LEHC). >> Job search

A refugee newcomer from South Sudan, now living in Washington, DC, is garnering international recognition from Facebook and the global gaming community for an innovative video game that brings players into the life of a refugee. >> IT (Information technology); Entrepreneurship

Jim Estill, of Guelph, Ontario, is among those honoured by Forbes for the help he has given to refugee newcomers.

A Syrian refugee who came to Winnipeg 7 years ago, now runs his own renovation company, where he employs refugees. He was honoured for his economic contributions in the city. >> Entrepreneurship

Dress For Success Winnipeg (Clothes Close until Nov, 2019) provides support, professional attire to help clients get into workforce. >> Women

With the storytelling, we can connect more, we know ourselves more,' Carol Zoccoli told an audience while hosting her immigrant comedy show in Toronto called Comedy as a Second Language. 'We are here to build this culture together—right? And make fun of white people, of course.' >> Arts and entertainment

A Syrian couple who came to Victoria, B.C., as refugees in 2016 have, with the help of new Canadian friends, opened a new business supplying a local grocery store with Syrian food. >> Food processing and production; Entrepreneurship

The Syrian refugee newcomer who founded Peace By Chocolate has great ambitions for the company. With their products already across Canada he wants to enter the American market. He wants to become one of this country's biggest chocolate companies in five years. >> Food processing and production; Entrepreneurship

A survey by World Education Services of 6,402 skilled immigrants found 80 per cent of respondents were employed, most in permanent jobs, but only 39.1 per cent had positions with duties similar to what they had before immigration.

Recent immigrants in Canada with a university degree were more likely to be over-educated for their jobs compared to immigrants in the United States, a new study from Statistics Canada has found.

WES conducted a survey-based study to examine predictors of skilled immigrants’ career success. They examined the demographic characteristics of skilled immigrants as well as their experience and education, and studied how these factors affect their labour market outcomes.

How skills can be a passport out of displacement for refugees.

Ali Awow fled civil war at home and spent a year in a refugee camp in Kenya before making his way to Southern California. Now he is running a custom clothing shop. >> Retail; Entrepreneurship

Refugees from Eritrea, have become valuable team members and leaders in the kitchen of Panini's Italian Cucina in Edmonton. At first glance, traditional Italian food and Eritreans might seem an odd pairing, but there is a very real connection. >> Restaurant

The owner of a company that crafts soap using techniques perfected hundreds of years ago in Syria is expanding his business to Edmonton this week. >> Manufacturing; Entrepreneurship

The Ontario government is overhauling its program supporting job seekers following scathing reviews from the auditor general that found Employment Ontario was “not effective” in finding workers full-time work.

Immigrants may have made progress reaching the first rung on their career ladder in Canada, but they are getting nowhere near the C-suites, a new report says.

After spending a decade in refugee camps in Kenya, a Somali refugee and his family resettled in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania. This 10 minute audio report explores how the county’s prosperous economy makes it possible for refugees to thrive. And in return, how these thriving refugees feed back into the success of Lancaster’s economy.

Mohammad Aljamousl, a Syrian refugee who arrived in Canada earlier this year, worked as a consultant on an Arabic version of Sesame Street aimed at refugee children. >> Arts and entertainment

OnTheStep is an app that connects residents with on-demand snow clearing services provided by members of their community who have signed up as contractors with the online platform. In its second year, the business has extended its partnership with newcomer serving organizations to include Freedom International School. >> General labour; Landscaping; Job search

A newcomer woman from Peru, now living in Toronto, is finding success after going through YWCA's Commercial-Residential Painter Decorator Pre-Apprenticeship program, part of its larger Women in Trades program. >> Construction; Women

One of the dominant stories about newcomers to Canada a decade or so ago was the professional — a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer — driving a cab or delivering pizza or working behind the counter at Tim Hortons. This only partly mythical figure has faded in recent years, but the issue of credentials and certification hasn't gone away. >> Credentials

When four business partners — all immigrants who fled chaos in Iran in the 1980s — saw a City of Toronto notice looking for a site for a temporary refugee shelter, they immediately responded and offered a decommissioned Toronto Hydro building.

BDC study shows more immigrants are starting businesses in Canada. >> Entrepreneurship

Windmill Microlending, a microlender for newcomers to Canada, has received a $1 million investment from Hamilton Community Foundation. This investment will enable Windmill to offer 200+ loans, changing the lives of more than 200 internationally educated immigrants and refugees and their families. >> Loans

An inspiring story about a restaurant started by a Syrian newcomer in New York City, that could just as easily have taken place in Toronto or elsewhere in Canada. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Are Refugees Good for Canada? A Look at Canadian Refugee Integration, with statistics on unemployment; income; paying taxes; skill levels; and entrepreneurship. (The answer, of course, is “Yes”!).

Many newcomers receive multiple offers at Thursday's event at Toronto's Metro Hall. >> Job fair/Hiring event

“A pattern that has persisted for a century: They tend to outperform children of similarly poor native-born Americans.” The experience of newcomers to Canada and their descendants is probably similar to those in the United States. .

I'm not this exceptional human being,' Ibrahim said. 'There are millions of refugees right now who are not being given the opportunities that I have been given. And if they were, they would do incredible things.' >> Health care; Women

A Syrian refugee newcomer pursuing her Master’s degree in Kitchener gets support from a professor who was, himself, a refugee from Vietnam in the 1970s.

Truck driving in Canada: The Canadian trucking industry finds itself struggling to keep drivers The wages have not kept up to the rapid increase in the cost of living in Canada. This scenario has caused a high rate of turnover in the Canadian trucking industry, and thus a shortage of skilled, qualified truck drivers. >> Driving-long and short haul

With the help of a small scholarship, this refugee newcomer in London, Ontario is now studying Fitness and Health Promotion at Fanshawe College and hopes to pursue a University degree in a health related field in the coming years.

Kay Habib, an interior designer and owner of Skilled Accents in London, Ontario, an immigrant herself from Pakistan, started her own an interior design business. In 2018, she began rescuing discontinued fabric samples and swatches to manufacture decorative pillows. Her company now has a showroom in northwest London and employs nine Syrian and Iraqi refugee women. >> Sewing; Entrepreneurship; Women

Rola Dagher, arrived in Toronto as a refugee with no money and a 10-month-old baby, when she was 17. Now, as a grateful Canadian and business leader, she cannot preach enough how critical diversity is to business.

A Canadian immigrant is breaking gender stereotypes on construction sites as she helps rebuild Quebec's largest interchange. The 35-year-old arrived from China in 2007, 'with two suitcases' and a diploma in computer sciences. >> Construction; Women

We do not wish to set a tragic example for future immigrants and refugee business owners as a business that gaved in to hate. We want to foster hope in the face of intimidation and hostility.' >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

The CEO of Paramount Fine Foods is offering to help the owners of a popular Syrian restaurant in Toronto reopen after they permanently closed because of death threats their family and staff received. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

We could not put our family members, staff and patrons in danger,' family says in announcing closure of Soufi's, a Queen Street West eatery. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Tips for rideshare drivers. >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

The BBC profiles Jim Estill, in Guelph, ON, who has sponsored 89 refugee families and given jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities to many of the 300 individuals.

More than a year after more than 100 White Helmet volunteers and their families were whisked out of Syria through Israel and into Jordan in a high-profile international rescue, one of them is slowly building a new life with her husband, in Hamilton, Ontario.

Immigration consultants and trucking firms with sketchy safety records have found ways to exploit foreign job seekers, sometimes with tragic results when unprepared drivers are sent out on the road, a Globe investigation finds. >> Driving-long and short haul

Canada’s program of private refugee sponsorship has been held up as a model for the world. Could it be even better?

One of a series of excellent articles, jointly written by the Toronto Star and St. Catharines Standard. This story talks about employment of international students while still on student visas, as well as their paths to permanent residency and employment after graduation. Community colleges feature prominently in the process.

Three years ago, a Syrian farmer fled to Calgary with his family, unable to speak English and with no job prospects. However, with the help of a benefactor, he set up a small farm and has since grown it almost four-fold with Middle Eastern crops. >> Farming

“[I]n 2007, studying in Canada wasn’t a pathway to residency. Back then, students were coming to Canada’s career-focused colleges to learn skills to meet the labour needs of their own countries. Today, they’re coming here to meet our labour needs, spurred by the 2014 federal strategy that treats students as prospective immigrants… [I]mmigration applications from international students have skyrocketed, and the number accepted has risen from 30,000 in 2016 to 54,000 in 2018.”

Now living in Guelph as a refugee, an Iraq-born refugee newcomer is using the skills he learned as a video journalist and academic in his home country to showcase his newly-adopted country, with the hope of making a difference here and back home. >> Arts and entertainment

The supposed ideal is that, by month 13, newcomers are employed and living independently in Canada, as productive members of society. The reality is messier. The objective in this article is to offer an account of how sponsors think of their job, in relation to month 13.

A scholarly report of findings from 1,921 newly arrived adult Syrian refugees in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.

Syrian refugee opens Alta.'s first flight simulation centre, after completing a government self-employment program. >> Arts and entertainment; Entrepreneurship

Syrian refugee opens Alta.'s first flight simulation centre, after completing a government self-employment program. (2 minute news clip.) >> Arts and entertainment; Entrepreneurship

Saskatchewan significantly expands list of eligible in-demand occupations for Immigrant Nominee Program. More than 200 occupations may now be eligible after overhaul.

The growing wage gap between immigrants and Canadian-born workers has hit a new high, with new Canadians earning 10 per cent less on average, says a new report.

The story of a newcomer doctor from Liberia saving a fellow passenger on a bus in Ottawa. Since arriving in Canada eight months ago, she has been trying to get accreditation to practice medicine here and become a permanent resident. Meanwhile, she's been volunteering to get her foot in the medical system in Canada. >> Health care

Forty years after landing in Canada as a refugee, Vinh Huynh is in a position to impact the lives of inner-city children in Winnipeg who were once in his shoes. .

Nine women in London, Ontario, are turning scrap fabric into accent pillows through Skilled Accents. >> Sewing; Entrepreneurship; Women

In the age of Uber Eats and GrubHub, delivering pizza for the local Domino's may seem like a throwback. But for drivers who want more predictable hours and pay — and discounts on food — restaurants may be the better bet. >> Driving-local delivery

When he moved to Canada three years ago, a Syrian pilot struggled to find a job. Now he helps newcomers get employed as quickly as possible. To help them overcome obstacles facing newcomers, he co-ordinates a wage subsidy program at the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia. >> Newcomer support; Settlement

Ontario's landscaping profession continues to face a severe, and growing, worker shortage, partly driven by demographic changes, misconceptions among young Canadians about the nature of work and skills required, and competition from more lucrative sectors. There are an estimated 1,600 or more, entry level jobs across Ontario that are still unfilled, and immigrants could help fill the growing gap. >> Landscaping

Gig workers are nothing new in the restaurant world. Every day, contractors on bikes and scooters deliver food for Uber Eats and DoorDash. But in a growing number of kitchens, contract workers now make the food, too. >> Restaurant

As a new Canadian once herself, an Edmonton settlement counsellor strives to make the transition to a new home easier on fledgling Edmontonians. >> Settlement

Immigration makes the GTA one of the most culturally vibrant regions in the world, and economically and fiscally healthier than the rest of Ontario. But it would be beneficial to identify how to encourage more immigrants to build a life in other parts of the province. .

Rare scholarship gives refugee students education and permanent residency. But transition is hard.

When it comes to a community’s ability to help refugees settle into life in Canada, it turns out that size does matter, says a University of Alberta researcher.

It’s been four years since three-year-old Alan Kurdi died. Since then, borders have slammed shut and promises have been broken.

For some immigrants, owning a laundry can be a path to prosperity. But their employees, also immigrants, can get caught in a spiral of low wages, poor working conditions and social isolation.

New statistics show Quebec is making good on its promise to reduce its share of immigrants in 2019, but the province has cut deeply in the category of skilled workers, which runs contrary to the government’s stated goals.

The once-swaggering company is losing more money and growing more slowly than ever. What happened? >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

A policy discussion paper, co-authored by Dana Wagner, director of Canada operations for Talent Beyond Boundaries. The paper, published in August, compares initiatives to enable refugees or asylum seekers to access economic immigration pathways in Canada, Sweden, and Germany.

A farming project for Yazidi refugees is growing into a sustainable food source — and hopes to nurture roots for their independence. >> Farming

Advocates are disappointed that Canada has welcomed just 11 refugees in a United Nations program designed to help thousands of Central Americans flee a life of kidnapping, gangs and sexual violence.

Here are the stories of two couples, both from different countries, on their experience of going back to a bridging program tailored to their needs while also being able to enjoy the joys of family life in a new country. >> Bridging

Immigration and Citizenship Canada has reached an agreement that will allow Venezuelans caught up in their country’s administrative meltdown to remain in Canada even if their passports and other documents are no longer valid, CBC News has learned.

The economic odds facing Avigail Rodriguez a few years ago couldn’t have been much worse. An undocumented immigrant and a single mother, she lived in a cramped apartment in a tough neighborhood in San Antonio and earned just $9 an hour working as a nurse’s assistant.

More and more women are finding themselves as the principal applicants in Canada's Express Entry immigration process. >> Women

Ahmad Ebrahimi has been living in the overcrowded Moira refugee camp in Greece for almost a year and a half, after fleeing Afghanistan where he says his life was in danger.

As the Quebec government slashes immigration levels this year, it is also overseeing a huge increase in the number of temporary foreign workers coming to the province.

Food delivery apps are reshaping the restaurant industry — and how we eat — by inspiring digital-only establishments that don't need a dining room or waiters. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

This is the first of a six-part series by Global News intern Fadzaiishe Ziramba that tells the personal stories of six new Canadians and what it took for them to move to Canada. In this first story, Ziramba describes her own family’s experience.

Jose Rivera is usually very tuned in to what’s going on at the Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council (RIAC), but this week, he was out of the loop — and shocked when his colleagues threw him a surprise party.

Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft have long fought to stop British Columbia from forcing their drivers to have the same licences as cabbies, but experts say this requirement will ensure this nascent sector rolls out in and around Vancouver slowly later this year. >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

We are living through a global refugee crisis. In June, the UN High Commissioner of Refugees reported a record-high number of displaced people around the world, the highest in almost 70 years. And many refugees face restricted access to labor markets — they are often barred completely from working and earning an income. Women asylum seekers have it even harder: many women refugees face long-term poverty and high levels of sexual abuse. >> Women

Niagara Folk Arts and Brock University signed a formal agreement to work together to improve the well-being of newcomers to Canada in the Niagara region.

Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen says Canada must be quick to adapt and innovate in order to remain a global leader in attracting skilled workers.

The Government of Canada announced that seven early learning and child care innovation projects in the Greater Toronto Area are receiving nearly $1.8 million in funding. >> Early childhood care and development

A policy discussion paper, co-authored by Dana Wagner, director of Canada operations for Talent Beyond Boundaries. The paper compares initiatives to enable refugees or asylum seekers to access economic immigration pathways in Canada, Sweden, and Germany.

Amrit Kaur wanted to be a teacher in her home province. After Bill 21, she's moving to B.C. >> Women

Job fairs are an opportunity for companies to meet and screen a large number of potential job candidates. But for you, the potential job candidate, they offer access to multiple job opportunities all in one place. >> Job fair/Hiring event

Vowing to protect Canada’s most vulnerable people against conservative cuts of any sort, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired what felt very much like the opening salvo of his re-election campaign Monday — taking direct aim at Premier Doug Ford and making no mention whatsoever of the man actually vying for his job.

Syrians refugees admitted to Canada under the government’s landmark resettlement program are slowly catching up to other refugee groups when it comes to finding jobs and connecting with their communities.

Last Saturday I awoke thinking about immigration. It was 50 years to the day — Aug. 3, 1969 — that my parents arrived in Canada as new immigrants.

As a part of Quebec’s new integration services, prospective immigrants will be assigned an immigration assistant officer that will follow their case through a step-by-step process.

A growing number of newcomers to Canada are ending up in shelters or are finding themselves homeless, newly released government figures show.

When Adnan Al Mhamied thinks about what he left behind in Syria, it’s the everyday things that come to mind.

Habtamu Lamu ladles fragrant red lentils, cubes of marinated lamb and steaming hot peanut soup into cardboard takeout containers. On the first day of every month, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., Lamu prepares delicacies from his home country of Ethiopia and serves them to people living on the streets of Edmonton. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Bilal Al Rasoul doesn't even drink coffee, but his new life in Canada revolves around a coffee shop in the heart of Toronto's diverse Kensington Market. >> Restaurant

Four years after he stepped off a train in Munich looking for asylum, Abdoulie Barry speaks German, rents an apartment and holds a full-time job at an outdoor sporting goods manufacturer. He is punctual and conscientious, his boss says, and pays taxes and welfare contributions.

Confusion about proper training means some barbers unsure if they're working under the law. >> Hairstyling

After spending almost all her life in immigration limbo in the United States, Paras Pizada can finally set down roots and plan for a future…in Canada.

Program aims to protect vulnerable foreign nationals by giving them legal immigration status in Canada.

My husband and I are expecting our third child next year and we are so excited. Yet, we can’t help stressing about childcare. The child-care system in Ontario is already broken.

Maxime Bernier speaks at a People’s Party of Canada rally in Gatineau, Que., last fall. His party’s promise to limit immigration is based on false claims about the economic impact of new Canadians.

Ottawa has unveiled a new program that will offer both an immigration pathway for undocumented construction workers in Greater Toronto an help to address a labour shortage in the city. >> Construction

When Feras Al-Motaweh arrived in Moncton as a refugee from Syria in January 2016 with his wife and five children, they found that the options for Middle Eastern food and clothing in New Brunswick were limited. So they opened the Rabih Store to fill that gap. >> Food preparation and service; Retail; Entrepreneurship

When he immigrated to Halifax a couple of years ago, the Iraqi engineer stayed in an Airbnb because he knew nobody. Now, he is building bridges and maintaining the roads of Cape Breton. >> Construction; Engineering

Newcomer Welding Professional Credential Assessment (NWPCA) portal, to be developed by the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB), aims to help foreign welders gain credentials. The bilingual portal, which was started in February, 2019, will be launched as a pilot program in 18 months, in hopes of going fully operational in two years. >> Construction; Welding; Credentials

Everyone has to start somewhere. But just because you're starting at the beginning doesn't mean you have to start at the bottom–at least in terms of pay. Entry-level jobs are the initial role that you take in a particular industry that will hopefully be the first of many in your career. And some entry-level jobs pay better than others. >> Accounting and finance; Health care; IT (Information technology); Sales and marketing

The CEO of Peace by Chocolate is on a mission to spread hope—and to be a major player in Canada's candy market. >> Entrepreneurship

The City of Toronto is taking steps they say will keep residents and visitors safe when using vehicles-for-hire in the city. City council adopted a number of amendments to the Vehicles-for-Hire By-law that will improve the safety and accessibility of taxicabs, limousines, and private transportation companies (PTCs) such as Uber and Lyft. >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

Let's Talk' program helps newcomer youth navigate their new lives in Kitchener-Waterloo. >> Youth

More than 90,000 Toronto drivers for Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing services will have to take mandatory training under new rules passed by city council Thursday. >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

Imagine arriving in a city, only to find that most (if not all) of the adults can’t work, start a business, or buy goods and services? This is true for most refugee camps in the world.

Pilot would support labour needs of employers in smaller Ontario communities.

For some people, the more challenging circumstances they face, the more success they achieve. >> Food preparation and service; Food processing and production; Retail; Entrepreneurship

Skeena Bakery celebrates a decade in business. >> Food preparation and service; Food processing and production; Retail; Entrepreneurship

A job for a newcomer or for a refugee is simply everything,' says Mohamed Fakih. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Canada needs more than 167,000 new apprentices in the next 5 years. >> Construction

With numerous agencies assisting in the recruitment and skill-matching process for people with disabilities, a large number of qualified candidates seeking work, and government funding available for businesses that hire disabled workers, small businesses can often find staff who will meet their needs. >> Disability

The issue of the unemployment rate of educated newcomers to Canada in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) — currently twice of those with a similar background born in Canada — often overshadows another challenge for immigrants: underemployment.

It's a gummy candy most commonly known as 'shutti mutti' with a soft, squishy texture and a sweet and sour taste familiar to many Syrians. >> Food processing and production; Entrepreneurship

Big Bite Pita provides free meals to people in need for an hour a day, 7 days a week. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

As of July 8, 2019, Canada reopened the Interim Pathway for Caregivers. This is an immigration program allowing caregivers to apply for permanent resident status in Canada. This pathway is temporary, providing a permanent residence option for caregivers while Canada rolls out two new caregiver pilot programs through 2019.

Police say an overnight fire at a barbershop in Halifax is being investigated as suspicious. The barbershop is owned and operated by two cousins who immigrated to Canada through a private sponsorship in 2017. >> Hairstyling; Entrepreneurship

The RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards is a people’s choice awards program that recognizes inspirational immigrants who have made a positive impact on their communities since arriving in Canada. They recognize the achievements of all immigrants including successful entrepreneurs.

Though they are frequently overlooked, educational plans are often the basis for success for newcomers.

Newcomers are more likely to trust the government to do what’s right, and don’t worry as much about corruption.

The convergence of a shrinking labour force and exploding tourism has produced a unique scene for Canadian hotels. Traditional labour pools are deserts now, drained of the human resources that used to stock hotel front-desk, restaurant and housekeeping workforces. >> Hospitality

Alaa Nafisa and his family came to Canada four years ago as Syrian refugees. They learned English and worked hard. Then, six months ago, they started a restaurant in Waterloo, called Naranj. >> Restaurant; Retail; Entrepreneurship

uOttawa Refugee Hub and the Diversity Institute hope interested employers and eligible sponsorship organizations can take advantage of the Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) fund available in 2019, which will cover their portion of the sponsorship costs, made available with the support of The Shapiro Foundation, the Giustra Foundation, G. Barrie Landry and other private donors. They will also help guide employers and their workers through the process.

A new Mediterranean inspired restaurant has opened in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, started by four friends who reunited after immigrating to Canada and fleeing civil war in Syria. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Refugees have an entrepreneurial spirit, using their diverse skill sets and talents to start businesses and create jobs for themselves and other Canadians, writes Dr. Mohamad Fakih, CEO and president of Paramount Fine Foods.

Initiated by the Multicultural Association of Perth Huron, a group of newcomer service providers from across Perth and Huron counties have begun working with the Canadian Mental Health Association’s The Opening Doors Project to address social, cultural, and mental-health issues facing newcomers.

The story of a Syrian refugee newcomer starting his own ice cream store in Nova Scotia. >> Restaurant; Retail; Entrepreneurship

The federal government says it would like to give migrant workers more mobility and freedom by allowing them to work for any Canadian business approved to hire temporary foreign workers, within a specific sector such as agriculture, instead of being tied to just one employer.

Professional chefs in Washington, D.C., were paired with refugee and asylum-seeker chefs this past week so that the refugees could give guests a taste of their home countries through food. >> Restaurant

Refugees are highly skilled, highly enterprising, and once successfully integrated into the labor market, they improve GDP. They also make great employees. Compelling though this economic evidence may be, the reason why we welcome and integrate refugees should not be pecuniary. 5 Things Your Organisation Can Do To Act Now.

The story of Ebrahim, a Syrian lawyer who arrived in Canada as a refugee. Now a student at Osgoode Law School, Ebrahim will soon be working as an authorized law practitioner. >> Law

Saymah Chaudhry says even though she's thousands of kilometres away in Alberta, Quebec's Bill 21 makes her and many others in Calgary's Muslim community feel worried about the sentiment it might create. >> Women

Anas Nabulsi is only the second candidate to be placed in Canada by the Talent Beyond Boundaries project. As a tool and die maker, he has a very particular skill set. His resume was spotted in the talent database by the president of a tool manufacturing company in Niagara Falls, Ont., who flew to Lebanon to interview him. >> Manufacturing

A visual primer to Talent Beyond Boundaries' employment services. >> Engineering; IT (Information technology); Manufacturing

Engineers, architects, nurses and dentists educated abroad are among the targets for a new government office that would work with professional licensing bodies to simplify and accelerate foreign credential recognition. >> Credentials

Amazon Flex uses on-demand contract drivers to help with this especially labor-intensive and expensive hand-delivery. >> Driving-local delivery

But what should a truck driver expect in terms of salary? How much do other drivers make? These questions aren't easy to answer because a wide range of factors affect a driver's salary, including the equipment they drive, whether they are an owner-operator or a company driver, what type of routes they run, and more. >> Driving-long and short haul

NPowerCanada graduate Glory Ogor's describes her journey and how it led her to her current role at CIBC. >> IT (Information technology)

Windmill Microlending helps newcomers return to their careers in Canada with small, low-interest loans or zero-interest loans for refugees, which help pay for reaccreditation costs. >> Loans

A Manitoba farming initiative aims to unite the Yazidi refugee community and meet their food needs. >> Farming

Condo security guard keeps watchful eye at 4 a.m. as the city sleeps. He is one of more than 27,000 people working as security guards or in related security service occupations in the Toronto region as of May 2019, according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). >> Security

A catering company set up just over a year ago to help Syrian refugee women is growing. Les Filles Fatoush now has a kiosk at the Jean Talon Market where the public can purchase a variety of Syrian spices and dishes. >> Catering; Caterer; Women

With a law degree from Syria and four years of legal practice under her belt, Talar Chitjian hit a wall when she tried to restart her career in Canada. >> Law

New numbers published Friday show Canada’s labour market is delivering new jobs, better wages and opportunity in every demographic. Here’s some even better news: Immigrants — recent and long-settled both — are a central part of the labour-market strength in Canada, a trend that points to receptive employers, adaptable skill sets among workers and smooth integration.

Seeba is a social enterprise painting company in Toronto that delivers high-quality painting services to homes and workspaces through experienced management and trained staff, offering affordable and competitive prices. >> Construction; Entrepreneurship

Syrian refugee newcomer family in Waterloo demonstrates the work ethic, determination of the new arrivals.

A Montreal catering company that employs Syrian refugee women has expanded. >> Catering; Retail; Entrepreneurship

Many refugees who arrive in Canada are highly skilled, but have little access to evidence to prove their academic achievements. >> Credentials

Husam and Shihnaz fell in love in Syria 36 years ago. Fast-forward to now—three kids and one family restaurant later—they aim to share their love of food and Syrian culture with Toronto, one manaeesh at a time. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Several recent polls show that Canadians are increasingly critical of the country’s immigration policies. One common fear over immigration in Canada, as Simpson noted, is that those coming into the country will take jobs away from existing residents.

It hasn't been easy, and Syrian newcomers are forced to overcome serious language and employment barriers, but early fears about how thousands of new families would cope were misplaced. >> Food processing and production; Restaurant; Retail; Entrepreneurship

A short video about a Syrian refugee newcomer, who opened a store, Our Sock Shoppe, with the support of entrepreneur and private sponsor, Jim Estill, in Guelph. >> Retail; Entrepreneurship

It hasn’t been easy, and Syrian newcomers are forced to overcome serious language and employment barriers, but early fears about how thousands of new families would cope were misplaced.

An aging population and low birth rate mean the Canadian population will not be able to sustain the size of its labour force by 2040, with 13 million workers set to exit the workforce, mainly due to retirement.

Braulio Rocha arrived in Montreal with next to no money. Six years later, he's an in-demand photographer with an international following. >> Arts and entertainment; Entrepreneurship

The Managing Director at Accenture Development Partnerships and the CEO and Co-Founder of NeedsList offer a menu of specific ways companies, large and small, can help refugees during their entire journey — from camps to settlement to employment to thriving in their new communities.

Opinion columnist, Thomas L. Friedman, has been trying to understand why some communities rise and others fall — and so many of the answers can be found in Willmar, Minnesota.

Over the past few decades, as a manufacturing decline left homes vacant and storefronts dark, New York’s upstate cities opened their doors to refugees. The influx, while modest, gave new life to neighborhoods, helped alleviate labor shortages and shored up city budgets.

Less than four years after coming to Halifax as a refugee, Mohammad Al Habash is running a pizza restaurant. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Meet Pablo Listingart, an immigrant from Argentina who is helping other technical professionals find jobs in the tech industry, by training them to be software developers at no charge. >> IT (Information technology)

Seven teams of Syrian refugee entrepreneurs were given a chance to pitch their proposals to investors through a joint pilot program by Toronto-based Refugee Career Jumpstart Project and Angel Investors Ontario, which aims to help them turn their dreams into reality. >> IT (Information technology); Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Thousands of rideshare service drivers from around the world are taking place in strike actions this week ahead of Uber's hotly-anticipated initial public offering. >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

Drivers in more than a dozen cities plan to strike on Wednesday ahead of Uber's highly anticipated Wall Street debut. >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

Ride-share drivers are on strike today in a dozen US cities and at least 10 countries, including Minneapolis, Washington, DC, San Diego, and all the way to London and Nairobi. Drivers are demanding higher pay and citywide regulations." >> Driving-taxi and rideshare

A Syrian newcomer's world changed in a myriad of ways when she relocated to Canada in 2017. The mother of three enrolled in an English Language Studies certificate program, before entering into the Social Service Worker (SSW) program. The two-year, community-focused diploma prepared her to help people work through diverse challenges and improve their quality of life. >> Women

The University of Ottawa Refugee Hub, with the financial suppport of The Shapiro Foundation and G. Barrie Landry, has announced the renewal of its successful fund to facilitate the sponsorship to Canada of BVOR refugees.

In eastern Ontario, the Peterborough Newcomer Kitchen has also provided recent refugee arrivals from Syria and immigrant women with an opportunity to settle in and socialize while building entrepreneurial skills and the experience they need to contribute to the economic well-being of their families and new community. >> Catering; Caterer; Food preparation and service; Entrepreneurship

From UNB’s Urban and Community Studies institute, Mikael Hellstrom conducted a two-year study, with a focus on Syrian refugee settlement and integration experiences in New Brunswick. One huge hurdle for immigrants is getting meaningful work.

As Nova Scotia grapples with a doctor shortage that has been described as a crisis, a group of trained doctors are wishing they were able to help. Loai Al Rifai is one of them. He completed his medical degree in 2009 and spent two-and-a-half years working as an orthopedic surgeon in his native Syria. When he left Syria due to the civil war, he spent three years practising medicine in Jordan. >> Health care

On farms that produce 70 percent of the world’s hazelnuts for Nestlé, Godiva and Nutella, Syrians say they can’t earn a living wage — or much respect.

Since moving to Canada, A Syrian doctor fleeing the war has gone from writing medical prescriptions to loading furniture into people's cars. Immigrant and refugee doctors have to go through a long, complicated and expensive process to get licenced in Nova Scotia. >> Health care

Newcomer Kitchen in Toronto is bringing meals to displaced Syrian families in camps across the Middle East. >> Food processing and production

An interview with the founder of Rainmaker Enterprise,a refugee newcomer to Canada from the Sudanese civil war. Rainmaker is a non-profit organization dedicated to tackling water supply in a sustainable way through clean technology in South Sudan. >> Manufacturing; Entrepreneurship

We often forget to look at the full picture of immigration, in which people with disabilities should appear. >> Disability

A new new catering company with a cause, The Newcomer Kitchen Party, aims to create work for recent immigrants and refugees in Halifax . >> Catering; Caterer; Entrepreneurship

A Syrian refugee newcommer in Victoria, BC, has started a food truck, Kebab Me Crazy, after struggling to find employment since arriving in Canada in 2016. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

A creative partnership in Winnipeg provides specialized sewing skills training to help bridge the gap between newcomers and an employer looking for highly specialized workers. >> Sewing

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is applauding the provincial government for welcoming the trucking industry into the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program, through the in-demand skills stream. The change gives Ontario trucking companies the same access to foreign labor sources currently provided to the agriculture and construction industries. >> Driving-long and short haul

This is a big week for Kitchener's Mohammed Hakmi, a Syrian refugee who arrived in the region thanks to a special program that matches skilled refugees with jobs. This week, he started work at the local tech firm Bonfire. >> IT (Information technology)

Religious minorities in Quebec are reeling after the right-leaning government of Franà§ois Legault proposed the law last week. It would prohibit not just teachers, but other public sector workers in positions of authority, including lawyers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols while working. >> Women

A unique cooking program, run by Roots to Harvest, is helping a group of women, most of whom fled Syria, adapt to their new life in Thunder Bay. >> Catering; Restaurant; Women

A Kitchener man who grew up in a refugee camp in Bangladesh is now advocating for education for Rohingya children in those same camps.

A Syrian refugee family who arrived in 2016, opened Damascus Food Market in Victoria, BC in March, 2019. >> Food preparation and service; Food processing and production; Retail; Entrepreneurship

A Kitchener company, Bonfire Strategic Sourcing, together with Talent Beyond Boundaries, have helped a Syrian refugee immigrate to Canada thanks to his computer skills. >> IT (Information technology)

PeaceGeeks is a Vancouver-based non-profit. Its latest project is the free Arrival Advisor app. It seeks to bridge existing gaps in accessibility of information for successful newcomer settlement. It allows immigrants and refugees in B.C. to find reliable, up-to-date information and services to get started in their new community—from housing, to education, to banking, and more—all in one place.

Mariam Herro and Maryam Hamdo work with Tayybeh, a Syrian food company that started three years ago. >> Catering; Caterer; Women

Allen Le Nam came to Hamilton at the age of 16 as one of the Vietnamese boat people. Now he’s building a high rise in Hamilton

Mohammed Hakmi, 26, has packed up his life as a refugee and landed in Kitchener as the first skilled immigrant admitted to Canada through Talent Beyond Boundaries, a Washington-based NGO that matches refugees with employers desperate to fill skill shortages. >> IT (Information technology)

Falafel: it's her husband Rasmi Al Hariri's special recipe, and since moving to Orangeville from Syria in 2016, this dish has helped the family make their mark in the community. >> Catering

13 women in Ottawa completed the first rotation of the intro to esthetics program >> Personal care; Women

A look at how newcomer women can be better welcomed into our community. >> Women

Ask Mayor Doug McCallum to list his favourite parts of Surrey's Guildford neighbourhood and it doesn't take him long to get to the heart of the community — the mall. >> Retail; Sewing; Entrepreneurship

Pew Research Center study shows Canadians have the most favourable opinion of immigrants among the world’s top migrant destination countries.

With hard work and determination anything is possible. But possible is not the same as likely. Even with hard work and determination, many people who start with such big disadvantages will face tough sledding.

A skilled labour shortage in Ontario in the past three years has slowed the growth of construction companies, prompting some to turn down work and others to decline to bid on projects, according to a survey of contractors at non-residential sites. >> Construction

Contractors in Ontario may be in for a busier year in 2019, but many are facing a shortage of skilled workers, which many say has affected how they do business. >> Construction

Guide promotes inclusive workplaces, accommodation of cultural differences

Quebec’s government plans to reduce immigration to about 40,000 this year, with the intended goal of better integrating newcomers.

A coding school that grew out of the 2015 refugee crisis in Germany is helping women and people of color prepare for jobs in technology. >> IT (Information technology); Women

Practical guidance by Tent Partnership for Refugees and Deloitte for businesses and the private sector to include refugees in their workforce

Une étude diffusée par Statistique Canada révèle que les résultats sur le marché du travail des quelque 830 000 réfugiés entrés au Canada entre 1980 et 2009 en provenance des 13 principaux pays d’origine ont considérablement varié d’un groupe à l’autre.

For decades, Assam Hadhad ran a chocolate factory in Syria, the second-largest in the Middle East. In 2012, it was destroyed in a bombing. After spending years in a Lebanese refugee camp, they were granted asylum in Canada. >> Food processing and production; Entrepreneurship

Ron and Clara Wiebe were some of the Manitoba Mennonites who helped Hoa and Lan Chau start a new life in Canada, thanks to a ground-breaking private sponsorship program that turns 40 on March 5.

The Lee family was among the first wave of Indo-Chinese “boat people” welcomed to Canada under a then-new sponsorship program. Their sponsors are still by their side.

Forty years ago, in response to the “boat people” crisis, Canada’s private refugee sponsorship program was born.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) continues its push for a trucking-focused immigration program to help offset a shortage of truck drivers. >> Driving-long and short haul

In our new series How To Open A Restaurant In Toronto we'll look at the hurdles — some obvious, some not — wanna-be restaurateurs face. This first instalment looks at coming up with an initial concept, the people that can help fine-tune the idea and one restaurant that took a different route. >> Restaurant; Entrepreneurship

Hasta Subba spent years in a refugee camp in Nepal and didn't want to spend the rest of her life cleaning hotel rooms in Fredericton. >> Women; Youth

How Syrian refugees find new Canadian friends. Once newcomers have basic needs like food and shelter met, they want companionship. They find it among other refugees, but that doesn’t go far enough.