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TL;DR

A study of more than 500 present or former residents of Calgary revealed that 29.1% had full recognition of qualifications obtained outside of Canada.

The community-based study by ActionDignity found that 35.2% of participants received no recognition, while 25.9% received partial recognition. Another 8.5% were still waiting for a decision.

Although the findings refer to the study participants rather than the whole immigrant population of Calgary, they are consistent with national data indicating that recent immigrants are more likely than Canadian-born workers to be overqualified for their jobs.

Over 65% of participants reported being underemployed or working a job below their qualifications, even though more than half held an undergraduate or graduate degree. Just 13.1% said that their present employment exactly matched their qualifications.

The study showed that 57.4% had taken on work requiring lower skills because they needed the income, while 42.8% held multiple jobs to cover their expenses. Almost half of the people named the absence of Canadian work experience as a barrier to employment. A third mentioned having limited professional networks, and 17.8% said they had experienced discrimination or bias.

Mayssoun Hniedi, who is in charge of employment and career development at the Immigrant Education Society, stated that companies receiving a large number of applicants might prefer candidates with Canadian experience who can communicate fluently in the workplace.

At times, they won't even consider hiring a newcomer because, as Hniedi points out, what reason would they have to do so if they already have 100 applications from people with Canadian experience who speak the language fluently?

Hniedi stated that the cost of having foreign qualifications recognized can be several hundred dollars or over $15,000, depending on the type of occupation. The expenses could cover assessments, regulatory applications, examinations, bridging education, and licensing fees.

The process may last as long as a year. There can be further delays for refugees when it is hard to get documents from their home country. Almost half of the people who took part in the study had to undergo further training or obtain additional Canadian qualifications, even though they already possessed qualifications from another country. Just over 40% stated that the process placed a heavy strain on their finances.

Pablo Franco, the career and employment director at the Centre for Newcomers, stated that the lengthy accreditation process can cause internationally qualified professionals to give up their original careers.

“As Franco pointed out, many people simply choose to go in a different direction and try to apply their experience and skills to something related. However, in fact, a great many people do give up on attempting to obtain an accreditation in Canada.”

Statistics Canada findings in April 2026 showed that 31.7% of recent working-age immigrants had trouble securing their first job; of those who experienced difficulty, 42.2% gave insufficient Canadian work experience or references as the reason, and 34.6% stated that employers would not accept experience obtained abroad.

Findings from Statistics Canada indicate that in September 2024 and September 2025, 32.6% of recent immigrants aged 25 to 54 with post-secondary qualifications were overqualified for the jobs they held, compared with 19.1% of Canadian-born workers.

The national survey employed different measures and included a wider population than the Calgary study, so its results cannot be directly compared.

The process of recognizing foreign qualifications is mainly the responsibility of the provinces, the territories, and the professional regulatory bodies; there are about 600 regulatory authorities in Canada, according to a 2025 federal program evaluation.

The federal government provides Foreign Credential Recognition Loans ranging from $15,000 to $30,000, and eligible costs may cover exams, tuition, further training, and other related expenses.

In March 2025, Ottawa also made up to $52 million available for 16 recognition projects, with projects extending across fields such as health care, construction, architecture, and the skilled trades.

In 2024, Alberta established a Foreign Credential Advisory Committee to examine the question of entry into regulated professions. The committee handed its final report to the provincial government on June 27, 2025, and Alberta stated that its recommendations could guide policy or legislative changes.

If you are going to be working in a regulated occupation, make sure you have identified the regulator in Alberta before you pay for an assessment or sign up for training in Canada. Request a written list of required documents, fees, exams, language standards, and expected processing times.

You should also determine in advance whether you are eligible for a federal loan for credential recognition or for employment assistance before drawing on your personal savings.

Settlement organizations can assist you in comparing different licensing options, in preparing applications in the Canadian manner, and in finding appropriate work during the period when accreditation is being obtained. Make sure you keep copies of all assessments and payments since a different regulator or employer may ask for them at a later stage.