Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and intersectionality, this chapter examines how the constructs of “skill,” “merit,” and “employability” in the Canadian labour market are shaped by whiteness, dominant gender norms, and institutional gatekeeping. This chapter argues that Canada’s immigration and labour market systems, though framed by a discourse of diversity and meritocracy, are structured by racialized and gendered exclusions that systematically devalue the skills and experiences of racialized immigrant professionals. Despite Canada’s global reputation as a multicultural and inclusive nation, skilled immigrants—particularly those who are racialized and from the Global South—encounter persistent barriers to equitable employment. This chapter demonstrates that Canada’s labour market is not colour-blind; rather, it is governed by implicit racial and gender hierarchies that contradict the nation’s professed commitment to inclusion and equity. One of the most insidious mechanisms of exclusion is the demand for “Canadian experience,” which operates as a coded practice that privileges Canadian-trained, white professionals while marginalizing foreign-educated racialized immigrants. This demand, coupled with the systemic devaluation of international credentials, traps many skilled immigrants in cycles of underemployment and deskilling. Accreditation systems, employer biases, and institutional cultures further entrench marginalization by reinforcing narrow and exclusionary definitions of competence and cultural fit. These exclusionary practices are not experienced uniformly. Racialized immigrant women, in particular, often face a “triple penalty” based on race, gender, and immigration status, relegating them to low-paying, insecure, and feminized sectors such as caregiving and service work. These racialized and gendered logics not only contribute to widespread underemployment but also highlight the gap between Canada’s multicultural ideals and the lived realities of its immigrant workforce.