| Many university-educated China-born immigrants living in Canada have difficulty integrating into the job market and often turn to entrepreneurship as the path open that can offer upward economic and social mobility. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to explore the lived experiences of China-born immigrants as they coped with (a) the devaluation of their work credentials, (b) job discrimination and employment disparities, and (c) the initiation of entrepreneurship in the greater Toronto area (GTA). Twenty-one immigrants born in China participated in open-ended, in-depth, semistructured interviews. Participants in the study (a) were unemployed after being unable to find work, (b) were employed but perceived that their experiences were devalued in their jobs, (c) were just starting businesses and encountered obstacles, or (d) had started successful businesses in the GTA. The findings showed that employers generally did not credit the foreign work credentials of the participants, with the exception of three global high-technology firms and certain companies in need of opportunities to market specific skills. Several participants experienced troubled marriages and divorce as a result of their economic hardship. Participants overcame the obstacles they encountered by advancing their job skills, holding positive attitudes, and starting new businesses. Successful immigrant enterprises included businesses providing skilled services, retail food services, and businesses addressing the needs of homes and families. For many of the participants, immigrant entrepreneurship enhanced earnings and created a new and resourceful economic environment. More research is needed to determine the extent of marital problems and harmful effects on children after immigrants arrive in Canada. Research is also needed to discover the potential of multinational corporations for hiring skilled immigrants. By addressing the limitations of human capital theory when applied to immigrants, for whom the job market is not completely open, neutral, and fair, the study has expanded the understanding of the theory and made important contributions to knowledge. |
