Marshia Tashmim Akbar (Canada)

Marshia Akbar is the Director of the BMO Newcomer Workforce Integration Lab and Research Lead on Labour Migration within the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) program in Migration and Integration at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Her interdisciplinary research bridges policy, practice, and lived experiences to address pressing issues in international migration, employment integration, and social equity.

She examines employment challenges faced by immigrants and migrants with temporary status, including international students, post-graduates, and high-skilled temporary workers. Using a multi-sectoral, collaborative approach, she highlights the roles of diverse stakeholders in fostering equitable integration pathways.

Currently, Marshia is leading four funded projects including:

• Navigating the Identity Spectrum: South Asian Diversity in Canada and its Impact on Employment Integration (SADIE), Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Grants (2024-2027).
• Employer Engagement Initiatives (EEI): Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Workforce Integration, Funded by the Bank of Montreal (BMO) (2024-2026).
• Improving International Student Success: Examining College Policies and Strategies for

Recruitment and Employment Support in Ontario and British Columbia (IREC), Funded by Mitacs Accelerate Grant (2024-2025).

• International Students’ Lived Experiences in Canada (ISX), Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Development Grants (2022-2025).