As one who immigrated here back in 1969 let me state the following:
1. The process took all of 4 weeks. Simply because of qualifications in the technical field.
2. Arriving in Canada and starting a job in the same field it was culture shock i.e a throwback to the '50s.
3. It got considerably better after a job change into the hi-tech field of my choice. Where I noticed that most of the really progressive companies were started by European immigrants and the majority of their employees were also Europeans. 
Trust me, it wasn't a communication problem, it was, and is, strictly a matter of qualifications. 

Knowledge is One Thing No One Can Take Away From You!