This report from the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), JVS Toronto and WoodGreen explores the employment experiences of newcomer youth in Toronto. It aims to highlight the strengths of this group as well as the employment barriers that its members face.

The authors identify key employment challenges for newcomer youth during three main career phases: pre-employment, job searching and career building. In the pre-employment phase, challenges include limited formal support and/or social connections, being underestimated by employers, and a lack of awareness of and access to programs. When searching for a job, challenges include discrimination by employers based on names and ethnicity and employers’ perception that non-Canadian work experience is less valuable. During the career-building stage, newcomer youth find themselves in non-linear career paths and continue to face discrimination at work.

This report recommends improving support for newcomer youth by tailoring information, recognizing foreign credentials, enhancing employment promotion, and offering better mentorship. The authors emphasize industry-specific interventions, flexible program delivery, and strengthened community outreach. For youth already in the labour market, the authors recommend providing quality on-the-job experiences, raising awareness of the skills that newcomer youth bring to the workforce, and incentivizing inclusive workplaces.