Media Technology Monitor’s (MTM) most recent report delving into the employment and education lives of Canadian newcomers found that more than half have looked for a job in the past six months.

Job seeking is notably higher among specific demographics: 55 per cent of women, 56 per cent younger people, 63 per cent of those with lower household incomes, 60 per cent of refugee claimants, 58 per cent of international students and 58 per cent temporary foreign workers, the report found.

Newcomers’ primary job search sources are online platforms, with 66 per cent using Indeed and Monster, which is higher compared to 61 per cent of Canadian-born individuals. Newcomers are also more likely to use LinkedIn to search for a job, 47 per cent versus 37 per cent Canadian-born job seekers. Typically, 42 per cent of newcomers search via family and friend connections, while 32 per cent search through Government of Canada websites.

Newcomers also pursue education in Canada, the MTM report found. If they are not employed full or part time, 31 per cent of newcomers are engaged in taking courses or training.

Newcomers who have spent less time in Canada are more likely to be enrolled in a course but this trend declines as they spend more time in Canada. For example, 40 per cent of those in Canada less than year are enrolled in a course compared to 28 per cent who have been in the country two years or more.

Forty-six per cent of newcomers are taking university courses while 33 per cent are taking classes at another type of institution. Although many already have degrees from their home countries, Canadian employers may require local education to recognize their qualifications. Sixty-six per cent of younger newcomers aged 18 to 24 are most likely to pursue a university education, while 28 per cent in that age group are taking college courses.

Fewer than one in four newcomers have taken a language class since arriving in Canada, at just 24 per cent in 2024. This proportion has decreased from 30 per cent in 2021 and 32 per cent in 2023. Fifty-eight per cent take formal, professional classes while 36 per cent take conversational group lessons and 28 per cent take other types of language lessons. Sixty-six per cent are taking English lesson and 31 per cent are taking French.

Digital tools play a major role in language learning, with more than three in five newcomers using language apps or websites within the past month.