I graduated from the Geology Department, Punjab University, did my Ph.D.
from University of London, taught at Punjab Univ. for 10 years and worked in
operating mines in Zambia for 25 years. After finishing in Zambia, we had a
choice of staying in Zambia, going back to Pakistan or coming to Canada.
Since my only daughter got married in a Canadian muslim family we decided to
take a chance to come to Canada. My other reason for  coming to Canada
(Ontario) was that about 30 percent of Ontario economy is based on mining
and given my skills I anticipated no problems getting a job and practice my
profession for another 5-10 years. After all, my degrees and experience was
considered by Canadian immigration and they did approve my application. It
was reasonable to assume that my qualifications and experience had value in
Canada. So we came in 1998. I invested my life savings in Toronto to buy a
house (on mortgage), bought a car and all household effects to the standard
of living we were used to. Before coming to Canada, I did send some job
applications to mining companies in Canada.

When I did not receive any response I put it to the fact that I was still
outside Canada. Once I had my family settled down here I applied and applied
(approximately 150 applications), and used my past contacts to get jobs in my
profession. In five years  I got two interviews, both jobs went to someone else.

To other applications there was hardly even an acknowledgment. One of my
past Canadian born associates who works at a University told me that
their instructions were to employ fresh graduates and Ph.D's from Canadian
Universities. Of all my non-Canadian born associates from Zambian mines
(about >25), only one got a mine job in Canada. So what was going on?
Through research I discovered that my education and experience was of no
value for the job market here although it had value for approval of my
application for immigration. This discrepancy is the mystery of the Canadian
immigration policy. At one stage I tried to change my career to computer system
administrator for which I had some previous experience. I received a grant from
the Canadian Government to attend a course. Inspite of attending the course the my applications for employment continued to be rejected by potential
employers. It must be said on the positive side that, unlike my own
experience, my sons who graduated from Canadian Universities had no
difficulty in getting a job in their professions.

While looking for a job in geology, my savings from Zambia dwindled to a
point where in three month's time I would have been  unable to pay my
mortgage. So I looked at local wanted columns for any job. Most employers
thought I was over qualified, but one gave me a job in seasonal golf course
maintenance, mainly to cut grass at $8.00 per hour close to minimum wages in
Canada. In three years my wage has increased to $11 and my job content is
gradually changing to environmental management through recognition by my
boss of my technical knowledge. In winter I apply for Employment insurance
payment that is not enough to put food on the table.

So my sons help fund  some of my needs. This in brief is my experience.
Much more can be said and I will be happy to answer questions from individual
immigrants already in Canada or in the process of coming to Canada.