The University of British Columbia

Newspaper clipping showing UBC nursing school graduates, 1950, including Constance Yip, third from the right. Early Chinese Canadians faced many challenges before being able to enter professions such as medicine and law, but eventually they perservered and many Chinese Canadians became accomplished professionals in a variety of fields

Early Chinese Canadians made their living in a variety of ways, including work in labour, the service industry, starting businesses, and eventually entering the professions. This section discusses the challenges they faced and the successes they had in the workplace. Click to learn about:

Mining
Railways
The businessman Yip Sang
Businesses in Chinatown

Next: Mining