South Asian women remain one of the most educated yet under-utilized groups in Canada’s workforce, facing persistent barriers to progression despite record immigration levels.
Canada’s immigration levels more than doubled in recent years to 1.4 million annually and while South Asians made up the largest share of newcomers, they face uneven workforce integration, particularly women, according to a recent report by the Fraser Institute.
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A 2021 report by Pink Attitude Evolution found more than half of South Asian women in Canada planned to leave their jobs. Four years later, there hasn’t been much change, says Rupa Banerjee, Canada research chair and a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. “Some employers may have adopted hybrid work, stronger anti-harassment policies and targeted leadership programs. Yet the core drivers of intent to quit — like skills mismatch, stalled progression and everyday bias — persist, particularly for racialized immigrant women.”
According to Banerjee, three structural frictions continue to intersect: skills recognition gaps, gendered care responsibilities and racialized organizational dynamics. “Foreign credentials and experience are discounted and Canadian experience remains a proxy for social closure even though it violates the Ontario Human Rights Code,” she explains. “At the same time, limited, costly childcare pushes women into part-time or interrupted careers and bias, lack of sponsors and glass-ceiling effects limit access to challenging assignments and promotions. The result is occupational channelling below qualification, despite high human capital.”
She notes the barriers identified in 2021 — such as accent bias and lack of credential recognition —remain just as strong today, though are often more subtle. “Accent bias has shifted from overt comments to coded judgments about leadership ability or client-facing readiness. Credential recognition has improved in narrow fields, but new gatekeeping has emerged via culture fit and automated screening tools that down-weight non-local signals.”
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From a benefits perspective, Banerjee points to four key supports that could shift outcomes: predictable flexibility through hybrid work and core hours, subsidized childcare and eldercare, paid bridging programs and credential exams and culturally competent health benefits such as coverage for therapists who understand migration and racialization.
She emphasized DEI strategies must move beyond statements to measurable outcomes. “Employers need to disaggregate metrics for hiring, pay and promotion, embed bias interrupters in hiring and appraisal, focus on sponsorship over mentorship and ensure transparent pay bands and promotion pathways. Accountability is critical — progress should be published and tied to executive compensation.”
Looking ahead, Banerjee warned Canada’s record immigration levels raise the stakes for employers. “This is a huge pool of highly educated talent, much of it coming from respected universities and professional schools across South Asia.
“Employers who take the time to understand the quality of that education, rather than just defaulting to Canadian experience as a stand-in for skill, will have access to a steady talent pipeline. Those who stick with old habits will struggle with higher vacancies, more turnover and reputational risk.”
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