Study Finds 58% of Ukrainian Refugees in Canada Suffer Job Downgrades
Updated
Updated · The Conversation · Sep 30
Study Finds 58% of Ukrainian Refugees in Canada Suffer Job Downgrades
2 articles · Updated · The Conversation · Sep 30
Summary
A study of 1,429 Ukrainian refugees found 58% experienced employment declines after displacement, while 34% matched their previous level and 8% improved.
Highly educated refugees fared worse: those with specialized or graduate degrees had nearly twice the odds of working below their former level, highlighting a “qualifications paradox” driven by poor transferability of credentials.
Women—nearly 90% of respondents—were more likely to be downgraded, with child-care and household caregiving strongly linked to setbacks; refugees under 35 were far more likely than older workers to recover or advance.
Credential recognition and language were the biggest barriers, alongside issues such as address requirements, weak knowledge of the labor market and limited child care.
The findings suggest Canada’s first-year settlement focus misses longer-term underemployment, and point to targeted licensing bridges, language support, flexible hiring and refugee-specific child care as ways to unlock skills.