鈥淵ou can鈥檛 imagine how much immigrants are suffering,鈥� said Shaimma Yehia, a software engineer who migrated to Canada in 2015 through the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
For many women who immigrate ready to break into the Canadian tech industry, the path to gainful employment proves more difficult than they expected.
鈥淚 found it very hard with no family support and four children who depend on me 鈥� all while I鈥檓 trying to catch up and find work in the tech industry. It seriously drained my mental health,鈥� the Lower Mainland resident said.
Even with a degree in electronics and communications engineering and a decade of experience, the 40-year-old has only found work in B.C. as a caregiver.
Yehia applied for immigration alongside her husband, Amr, during the tumultuous Egyptian revolution of 2011.
鈥淲e were looking for a better life and better education for our children.鈥�
Software designers and engineers remain the top occupation of those invited to apply for permanent residency through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, according to the . In 2019, 871 were invited to Canada. Most were men.
Though Yehia鈥檚 family was granted a new life due to her expertise, the software engineer said she鈥檚 been shut out of the tech market due to a lack of Canadian job experience.
In Egypt, things were more stable, Yehia said 鈥� both her and Amr were employed at big companies. Yehia worked as a team leader at IBM, overseeing IT projects worth millions.
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鈥淲hen we arrived in Canada we had to start everything from scratch,鈥� she said.
The mother-of-four said she鈥檚 been stuck in a 鈥渧icious cycle鈥� of IT job rejections, resulting in a six-year employment gap on her resume.
By 2017, time spent looking for work had depleted her family鈥檚 entire savings.
鈥淚 had aspirations to come to Canada and join the economy but it鈥檚 not absorbing immigrants like me,鈥� said Yehia, who received her citizenship in September.
鈥淎ll this experience, why can鈥檛 Canada make use of it?鈥�
The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated Yehia鈥檚 effort to reboot her career. While many B.C. businesses shuttered, Yehia decided to upskill.
She enrolled in a program with MOSAIC, one of Canada鈥檚 largest settlement and employment services organizations, in partnership with Vancouver-based tech company Traction on Demand.
It鈥檚 providing immigrants like Yehia with the hands-on experience needed to break into B.C.鈥檚 tech ecosystem.
鈥淚鈥檓 one of those people who had always had big dreams and big plans for myself,鈥� Yehia said.
鈥淕etting the job is the first step of it.鈥�
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sarah.grochowski@bpdigital.ca
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