A new study of working-age immigrants to Canada shows most find work quickly, but seldom in their desired field.

The survey, which followed men and women between ages 25 and 44, found that only one-third of newcomers found a job in their intended occupation during their first year in Canada. A further nine per cent found those jobs in their second year in the country.

Most blamed their lack of Canadian work experience for their inability to secure the employment they wanted , while others said the most serious problem was lack of recognition for their foreign professional credentials, diplomas, or degrees.

The survey, called the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC), is the second stage of a three-stage study that will follow, as closely as possible, the employment history of a group of 12,000 immigrants who arrived between April 2001 and May 2002. The goal is to discover how newcomers adjust to Canadian life over time.

The second stage of the study interviewed about 9,300 immigrants from the first wave.

The study found that most immigrants were able to find jobs during their first two years, with a total of 80 per cent working in at least one job during that time.

The longer immigrants stayed in the country, the more likely they were to find employment.

After 26 weeks in the country 50 per cent of all those surveyed had found work. After two years that rate had risen to 63 per cent, compared with the national average of 80 per cent.

However, while the LSIC study shows newcomers were able to find work, they weren't necessarily the right jobs. Only about 40 per cent reported they found work in their desired occupation.

Only those immigrants aged between the ages of 25 and 44 were used in the Statistics Canada survey in order to remove the effects of students, late labour market entrants and retirees.

The third and final stage of the study will continue to follow the employment progress of the same group and release its findings in about two years time.