Lost Identities: The Credentialing of Immigrant Engineers from the Former Soviet Union in Ontario by Oksana Ostapchenko A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Graduate Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Social Justice Education (formerly Sociology and Equity Studies) Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Oksana Ostapchenko 2013 ii Lost Identities: The Credentialing of Immigrant Engineers from the Former Soviet Union in Ontario Master of Arts, 2012 Oksana Ostapchenko Sociology and Equity Studies in Education Department University of Toronto Abstract This study examines how the credentialing process for foreign-trained engineers implemented by the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) affects newcomers from the former Soviet Union and Russia seeking to re-enter the profession. Applying critical sociological theory to its analysis of data generated through qualitative methods, it highlights how the ethnic, racial, and educational background of applicants shapes their encounters with the PEO and the outcome of their applications. It sheds light on the crises of identity and in social and family relations experienced by these individuals, as well as the lack of supporting services to address such crises. This study contributes to existing literature on the subject by taking a new approach to the credentialing of foreign-trained engineers in Ontario, focusing on the perspective of individual applicants rather than structural factors. It concludes with specific recommendations on how the process could be improved and the regulatory body itself reformed. iii Acknowledgements There are people whom I would like to thank for their support during the creation of this thesis. First, I am grateful for my relationship with Dr. Miglena Todorova, my faculty supervisor. Her support, encouragement, guidance and faith that I would complete this work gave me the strength and vision to do so. Dr. Todorova not only supported me through the writing process but also greatly contributed to my intellectual growth and inspired me to seek out equal rights, gender rights, anti-racism, and social justice in my professional work and everyday life. I would like to acknowledge COSTI-Immigrant Services, my employer, for the opportunity to gain valuable working experience as an employment specialist. My experience at COSTI paved the road to the Masters Degree program at OISE. I would like to thank all of my study participants who are generously donated their time and shared with me their experience of the engineering licensing process in Ontario. This thesis would not be possible without their participation. Their passion for the engineering occupation is fascinating to me. And their commitment to reentering the field of engineering in Canada, despite all barriers in their way, is an indicator of their professionalism which I believe would benefit the Canadian economy in the long term. I also hope that this thesis will contribute to their larger struggle for justice in Canadian society. I also feel lucky to be a part of the OISE community. I appreciate the support of all the faculty members who taught me during my years at OISE, especially, Dr. Monica Heller, iv whose guidance in designing this qualitative study was crucial for this project. I also would like to thank Ambeika Sukhram and Cindy Sinclair for their peer support and encouragement through the writing process. In addition, there are not enough words to say how much I appreciate my husband, Igor Ostapchenko. His support and encouragement during all my time at OISE kept me going. I also would like to thank my friend Greta Camase and her partner Dr. Kirk Perris, and Dr. Jeanette Herrle-Fanning. My journey as a Master’s Degree student was much clearer because of their friendship, support, and encouragement. v Dedication This thesis is dedicated to Jacob and Philip, my children. vi Table Of Contents INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................1 Purpose of the Study .............................................................................2 Research Questions and Main Arguments............................................. 3 Methodology and Demographic Sample ...............................................3 Background of the Study....................................................................... 6 Self-Positionality and Limitations .........................................................10 Overview of the Study ..........................................................................12 CHAPTER ONE: RUSSIAN ENGINEERS AND THE PEO’S HISTORY 13 The Creation of the PEO .......................................................................13 Definition of Key Terms........................................................................ 15 History, Motives, and Rationales Underlying the PEO’s Creation .......15 The Impact of Occupational Closure on Immigrant Engineers: The Specific Case of Russian Engineers in Ontario ................................................................20 Technical skills of Russian Engineers and the Canadian Climate .........22 A Brief History of the Engineering Sciences in Russia .........................24 Soft Skills: The PEO’s Strategic Ambiguity .........................................26 Media Representations of Russia and the Effects on Professional Credentialing 31 CHAPTER TWO: RUSSIAN WHITENESS AND IDENTITY CRISIS 33 Basic Tenets of Critical Race Theory ....................................................34 Whiteness and Racial Identity in Russia ...............................................35 How Immigration to Canada Challenges Russian Racial Identities .....38 The Intersection of Race and Gender in the Identities of Russian Engineers 44 vii CHAPTER THREE: IMMIGRANT WOMEN ENGINEERS ..........46 Immigrant Women Engineers and the Overall Situation of Immigrant Professional Women In Canada .................................................................................48 Russian Immigrant Women Engineers in Toronto .................................52 Balancing Family, Work and the P.Eng. License Preparation ...............56 Conclusion............................................................................................. 58 CHAPTER FOUR: THE PARTICIPANTS’ PERSONAL TRAJECTORIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE .......................................59 Recommendations .................................................................................63 References ......................................................................................67 Appendix A: Recruitment Script .....................................................72 Appendix B: Consent Form ............................................................72 Appendix C: Interview Questions ..................................................75 1 INTRODUCTION “Deprived of meaningful work, men and women lose their reason for existence; they go stark, raving mad.” Feodor Michalovich Dostoevsky Employment is an inseparable part of our lives, providing us with satisfaction, pride and a sense of belonging; and yet it can be a source of frustration and worries for many. As an employment consultant at a non-profit organization in Toronto, Ontario, it was my job to help people with their educational and employment needs. Every week I interviewed on average ten clients, roughly 300 people a year. My office felt like a revolving door at times, as client after client came through my office. The clients are diverse and came from all walks of life; the common feature they all shared was that they were unemployed. I listened to their stories very attentively, and took notes to document their education, work experience, and skills. What I could not record was their feelings, their soulful cries for help, their stress and their frustration. My office was located in an area where many immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Russia live. I was the only Russian-speaking employment consultant in the organization; consequently, the majority of my clients were Russian-speaking individuals who preferred to discuss their situation in their native language. As I myself am an immigrant from Russia and originally trained as an engineer, I understood their situation and its challenges. Almost all of my Russian clients were highly educated in the professional fields of engineering, medicine, or education. These occupations are regulated in Canada and for my clients this meant that they needed a professional license in order to work in their field of expertise. 2 I often shared my own career journey with the immigrant engineers who were my clients. Most of the time our discussions revolved around one question: why is it so difficult to get a professional engineering license in Canada? Another issue we often discussed was the feelings and emotions evoked by the licensing process. During these one-on-one meetings I also noticed that clients often blamed themselves for their inability to reenter the engineering field in Canada. In particular, Russian women engineers doubted their professional skills and knowledge because of their unsuccessful attempts in the labour market. These women often felt hopeless, and took any job just to make ends meet. Purpose of the Study The employment experiences of highly trained immigrants in Canada, the role of the regulatory bodies in restricting their reentry into the profession in this country, and the overall set of issues and barriers this