Employment needs of and barriers for Chinese youth and young adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions in Ontario, Canada

Cultural-based literature focusing on Asian autistic immigrants living in Western countries is very limited. The present study is a quality improvement exercise aiming to fill the gap by investigating the employment needs of and barriers for Chinese autistic youth and young adults in Ontario, Canada. 71 individuals diagnosed with autism and 24 diagnosed with other mental illnesses, aged 12–29, participated in an online survey regarding their work readiness, work skills, interests, health and cultural concerns. Analyses were conducted to compare the autistic group and the mental health group. Results show that the autistic sample has inferior (1) work habits related skills, (2) work style related skills, (3) level of independence, (4) skills to perform routine daily activities, (5) interpersonal skills at work, and (6) ability to tolerate visual and moving stimuli in the work environment. It is also found that the autistic group has more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and autism than that of the non-autistic group. The study shed light into the unique needs and barriers of Chinese autistic young adults and the service gap in supporting their transition to employment. •Chinese autistic individuals need more support in workplace for soft and hard skills, and unique sensory needs.•They reported higher depression and anxiety levels, but lower diagnosis rates, suggesting systematic under-diagnosis.•Stereotyped impression that realistic and conventional career orientations always apply was incorrect.•Autistic individuals fairly satisfied with the employment transition support and culturally sensitive employment services.