Dr. Marshia Akbar is Director of the BMO Newcomer Workforce Integration Lab and Research Lead on Labour Migration at the Global Migration Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her interdisciplinary research bridges policy, practice, and lived experience to address critical issues in international migration, employment integration, and social equity. Under her leadership, the BMO Lab conducts action-oriented research that supports employers in effectively recruiting and integrating skilled immigrants, strengthening the connection between research evidence and real-world practice. Beyond her research, Marshia teaches in the Department of Sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University and received the Faculty of Arts Teaching Award in 2022 for her course Immigration, Borders, and Belonging.