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The Multifaceted Challenges of Highly Competent Filipino Immigrants Globally
by: Ernesto Cordero, MICD
In the diverse tapestry of nations, immigrants have long been the threads that weave innovation, cultural richness, and economic prosperity. Highly competent immigrants, particularly from the Philippines, bring a unique blend of skills, knowledge, and ambition to their adopted countries. Beneath the surface of their accomplishments lies a set of distinct challenges that deserve our attention and consideration. Filipino immigrants’ multifaceted challenges will be analyzed more deeply, exploring the intricacies of credential recognition, cultural adaptation, networking, language proficiency, and underemployment. This will attempt to shed light on these issues to foster greater understanding and inspire comprehensive solutions.
One of the most significant obstacles highly competent Filipino immigrants face is the recognition of their foreign qualifications, which is best described as an uphill battle. Many immigrants from their home countries arrive with advanced degrees and extensive professional experience. They often encounter the frustrating reality that their credentials are not fully recognized in their chosen new homeland. The need for recognition is not just a matter of professional pride but a necessity for career advancement and financial stability.
Even with advanced degrees and extensive experience, many highly competent immigrants must further their education or retrain to meet local standards. This process can be time-consuming and financially burdensome, delaying their career progression and leading to frustration and demoralization. The requirement for additional degrees and courses can entail significant costs, burdening immigrants already grappling with the challenges of settling in a new country. The frustrating paradox often faced by these immigrants is the requirement for local work experience. Many employers prioritize candidates with a history of working in the local job market, effectively relegating skilled immigrants to entry-level positions despite their extensive qualifications. This mismatch between skills and job placement hinders career progression and leads to underemployment.
The cultural adaptation is an intricate dance that can be especially challenging for highly competent Filipino immigrants. They often face a steep learning curve in understanding the local workplace culture, norms, and unwritten rules. This can result in feelings of isolation, frustration, and even imposter syndrome. The workplace culture in their home country might significantly differ from that in their new destination. Communication, decision-making processes, and even office etiquette nuances can differ vastly. Subtle cultural differences in communication styles and idiomatic expressions can pose challenges. These cultural nuances sometimes hinder effective communication and are considered beyond basic skills. As a result, highly competent immigrants may find themselves unintentionally at odds with their colleagues or superiors, impacting their professional relationships and overall job satisfaction.
To address these challenges, mentorship programs, cultural sensitivity training, and support networks can play a vital role in helping highly competent Filipino immigrants integrate more smoothly into their new environments. By offering guidance and insights into the local culture and workplace dynamics, these initiatives can foster a sense of belonging and contribute to the long-term success of these immigrants. Focus on cultural fluency can help bridge these communication gaps. It enhances the ability to communicate effectively and promotes a deeper understanding of the cultural context in which interactions occur. This, in turn, can lead to more harmonious professional relationships and better integration into the local community.
Networking is vital to career growth and professional development, but highly competent Filipino immigrants may struggle to build meaningful networks in their adopted countries. They often lack the established connections and social capital that local professionals possess. These connections are valuable for career advancement and a sense of belonging by building connections in a new community. Networks can become more diverse and dynamic, benefiting all members. Immigrant professionals can bring fresh perspectives and unique experiences to these networks, enriching the community. Even though many highly competent Filipino immigrants were well-established professionals in their home countries, possessing extensive networks may contribute to their career advancement. Upon arriving in their destination countries, they must often rebuild their networks from scratch, which can be time-consuming and challenging. The need for more connections can hinder their ability to immediately access job opportunities that align with their capabilities.
The undesirable reality is underemployment, which is a pressing issue for highly competent Filipino immigrants. Despite their impressive qualifications, many immigrants end up in lower-skilled jobs or positions that do not align with their expertise. This can lead to diminished job satisfaction, financial strain, and self-esteem issues. The inability to secure suitable positions based on their skills and qualifications can be disheartening. It represents a significant loss for the host country, as these immigrants' talents and potential contributions remain untapped. To address this issue, governments, regulatory bodies, and employers must collaborate to streamline credential recognition processes, offer bridge programs to help immigrants adapt to country-specific requirements, and prioritize integrating skilled immigrants into the workforce.
Recognizing these immigrants' unique struggles and needs is essential for harnessing their talents and contributions to enrich societies, foster innovation, and strengthen economies. Governments and destination countries must take steps to ensure that their immigration policies align with their goals of attracting and benefiting from the skills and expertise of skilled newcomers. Streamlining the credential recognition process, offering bridge programs, and prioritizing integrating skilled immigrants into the workforce are vital steps in this direction. Promoting diversity and inclusion within professional networks and organizations can help immigrants build the connections they need for career advancement.
Highly competent Filipino immigrants are not just valuable assets to their adopted countries; they often embody the global pursuit of opportunity and growth. By addressing their multifaceted challenges, we can unlock their full potential and harness their talents to create a brighter future. It is time to recognize that highly competent immigrants' success is a testament to their resilience and reflects our collective capacity for inclusivity and progress. When we remove the hurdles they face, we open the doors to a more prosperous and harmonious society for everyone.
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Prof. Ernesto O. Cordero, Ph.D. in Business Administration; Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (RSA), London, England, U.K., MICD (Institute of Corporate Directors- Philippines), Chartered Fellow, The Royal Chartered Manager Institute, CMgr. FCMI, London, U.K., Certified Manager (CM), Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM)- VA, U.S.A., Chartered Manager/ Canada Institute of Management (CIM) / C.Mgr. National Director- Toronto, ON, Canada, Senior Fellow, Royal Institution of Business Administration (SFRIBA), SINGAPORE.
Post-Doctorate (Ph.D.) Research Scholar in Interdisciplinary on Contemporary Social Issues, Saint Paul University / University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Disclaimer:
On November 29, 2023, “The Multifaceted Challenges of Highly Competent Filipino Immigrants Globally” was published. It was authored by Ernesto O. Cordero, A Member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
