Between early 2023 and late 2025, Jumpstart Refugee Talent helped hundreds of unemployed refugees obtain survival jobs. While most refugees in this category are highly qualified in terms of education and English proficiency, they have chosen to take on jobs that are low-paying and irrelevant to their skills to meet ends meet. These jobs are commonly known as “survival jobs” as they are realistic alternatives to unemployment. This blog shows the complexities of this reality, so that refugees and Canadian society can better address it. Let us first address refugees’ potential concerns and fears.
Misconceptions of Survival Jobs
“Survival jobs are useless and lead to nowhere”
When refugees take on survival jobs, the extent of their talent is not fully recognized. Survival jobs tend to be unsuitable for refugees’ expertise, and this may lead them to feel as though they are “wasting their time.” But survival jobs are ways for refugees to gain a sense of independence in times of financial instability and alleviate emotional stress. They can also lead to future opportunities, especially if refugees continue to strengthen their soft and hard skills, such as communication and marketing, and create networking systems.
“Survival jobs are suitable for refugees”
This misconception is discriminatory because it does not acknowledge that refugees deserve career-appropriate opportunities aligned with their skills and experience. Refugees should not be limited to survival jobs provided that they can effectively contribute to Canada’s economy, and virtually all refugees who are supported by Jumpstart have demonstrated their skills in education and language, as well as the resilience to prosper through screening.
Survival Jobs and Systemic Barriers
Jumpstart’s records from 2023 to 2025 show that 8% of refugees who had survival jobs at intake are still employed in them. Survival jobs, which are meant to be “temporary solutions,” can be hard to get out of. This is because certain barriers can expose refugees to unemployment and encourage them to accept casual or low-paying employment to make ends meet. This cycle can take a significant emotional toll on refugees because they may feel undeserving and hopeless in the country that they came to for asylum. The barriers are systemic, meaning they have roots within the depths of our social systems, like business structures and social policies. This also means that they require wide-ranging solutions, but what can we, as sole individuals, do to address them?
One way to better support refugees in their journeys to find meaningful employment is to acknowledge that discrimination and credential evaluation challenges exist for refugees and highlight ways to overcome them.
Discrimination and Stereotypes
Prejudicial demeanor or discrimination can be visible, such as racist acts of aggression. A formal complaint for this kind of discrimination can be submitted under the Canadian Human Rights Act. However, non-visible forms of discrimination tend to be challenging to spot and report because they are more normalized in society. These can include microaggressions like questioning a refugee about where they are really from, why they are here, and if they have ill intentions.
Discrimination in workplaces and society can cause the talent of refugees to go unnoticed and put their dignity at risk, sometimes preventing refugees from getting hired in jobs that match their skill sets. This is especially important given the prevalence of biased stereotypes towards their identities, like their religion, race, or country of origin. They may also be vulnerable to demotion or feel overburdened in their jobs, decreasing their level of confidence and life satisfaction.
For more details on discrimination and the specific steps to address it, please view the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s dedicated page.
Issues with Credentials and/or Education Recognition
Refugees start afresh in an unknown nation, and their academic backgrounds and work histories may not be easily recognized in Canada because of documentation issues or concerns about the credibility of some foreign institutions. This can cause them to struggle in finding meaningful jobs that can both sustain their living and give them an enjoyable life. The lack of Canadian experience can also be a prime reason for limited employment opportunities, as shown by Khaldoun Albadr’s story.
At Jumpstart, we directly help refugees who are seeking recognition-specific support in collaboration with the World Education Services’ (WES) Gateway Program. We also provide resources and tips for interviews and resumes, as part of our Meaningful Employment program, to strengthen the job prospects of refugees and diversify their skills and competencies.
Final Thoughts
Tackling systemic barriers requires long-term efforts of advocacy, but the very first step is to raise awareness and identify important challenges to the economic integration of refugees. Understanding these barriers helps one maintain courage by being proactive and more comfortable to reach out for support. Jumpstart’s blog on Seeking Meaningful Employment outlines ways for refugees to advance beyond survival jobs with Jumpstart’s support, including becoming mentees and partaking in industry-specific workshops.
We also encourage general members of society to reconsider their discriminatory biases that limit the progress of qualified refugees, as they directly conflict with the core democratic values of diversity, equality, and liberty. We encourage them to work alongside refugees in supporting their journeys, such as by volunteering with Jumpstart, reaching out to Jumpstart for organizing events, and raising awareness.
