| Recent immigrants are increasingly likely to live in poverty during their first decade in Canada, says a new Statistics Canada study. Immigrant aid groups in Calgary cite the report as proof that more has to be done to help new immigrants who are often struggling to get by.
The Statistics Canada study looked at low-income trends in Canada’s metropolitan areas between 1980 and 2000. It found that 32.2 per cent of recent immigrants were considered low-income in 2000, up from 21.2 per cent in 1980. In Calgary, 24 per cent of recent immigrants were considered low income in 2000, compared to 15 per cent in 1980. Meanwhile the overall number of people on low income in Calgary declined by 2.1 per cent in the same 20 years.
Immigrant aid organizations say the biggest problem recent immigrants face is not being able to work in their professions because their foreign credentials aren’t recognized.
"(Foreign credentials) are not being recognized, so many immigrants are stuck in menial jobs," says Hadassah Ksienski, CEO of the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society.
As well, Ksienski says many immigrants are now coming to Canada alone and don’t have any financial support from their extended family.
Ksienski also says the problems that dog all low-income Canadians are exacerbated among new immigrants: high rental rates leave little money left over to pay for food or other expenses and children often don’t get a chance to complete their education because they are forced to get jobs to help support their families. Ksienski says poverty leads to health problems such as malnourishment and obesity.
In order for new immigrants to move out of poverty, Ksienski says government and professional associations have to start working together to offer mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities so immigrants have the skills they need to work in their fields.
Right now, although there are a few new initiatives, Ksienski says the pace of reform is much too slow.
"How many lost generations are going to be there before initiatives catch up?" she says. "People are more desperate. They’re just managing and surviving day by day."
University of Calgary sociology professor Jim Frideres says there’s currently an emphasis on new immigrants "paying their way" by immediately entering the workforce, even if that means having to work in low-paying jobs they’re overqualified for.
Frideres says the emphasis should be on helping new immigrants meet their full potential and that would require "some long-term investment and some up-front costs."
"There have to actually be programs established," says Frideres. "You have to have something for the immigrants to participate in."
Getting qualifications recognized is not the only problem new immigrants face.
Frideres says recent research has shown that new immigrants who are visible minorities aren’t faring as well economically as other immigrants due to discrimination.
He adds that the problem will need to be addressed because the percentage of new immigrants who are visible minorities is increasing rapidly.
Edna Sutherland, executive director of the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, says discrimination in the workplace is a fact of life in Calgary.
She says it’s "twice as hard" for new immigrants who are visible minorities to get hired.
"There’s shades of discrimination… whether it’s deliberate, systemic or racism by osmosis," says Sutherland.
Companies have to put more of an emphasis on "cultural competency" and they need to become more flexible, says Sutherland.
"We’ve made some strides in improving things but we still have a long way to go," she says. |
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