Settling in a new country

Immigrants face a variety of challenges when they move to a new country. Their initial experiences may impact their decisions to settle permanently. As such, successful integration is mutually beneficial for both the immigrant and the host country. Through this process, immigrants become more self-sufficient, productive and are more readily able to contribute to Canadian society.

The integration process is complex and the Longitudinal Survey of immigrants to Canada (LSIC) data show that family and friends are important to new immigrants. Through these networks, immigrants are more likely to receive help with settlement tasks such as finding accommodations, getting a job, accessing education or training and health care.

The majority of the immigrants in LSIC had family, friends or both in Canada at the time of arrival (87%). In addition to an established social network prior to arrival, post-migration new friends may help ease the settlement process and encourage a sense of belonging for new immigrants. Since arrival, 85% of immigrants reported meeting new friends.

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Close ethnic and/or cultural ties important

New immigrants are more likely to establish social networks with individuals from the same ethnic or cultural background as themselves. Table 10.1 shows the number of immigrants who made new friends and the distribution according to their co-ethnic concentration. In the LSIC, among the immigrants who made new friends, three quarters reported that at least half of these new friends were of the same ethnic or cultural group. The proportion varies slightly by category of immigration, with 61% of refugees reporting co-ethnic new friends, compared with 73% of family class immigrants, approximately 75% of skilled workers and 78% of other economic immigrants.

One explanation for the variation between refugees and the other categories may be that many refugees arrive in Canada as a result of a forced migration, are likely to settle in smaller communities and have a greater requirement for assistance from a range of agencies and organizations in Canada . This assistance would also provide refugees with opportunities to make friends from a range of ethnic backgrounds.

Immigrants in the family category had the highest proportion reporting that all of their new friends belonged to the same ethnic or cultural group: 36% compared with 18% of skilled worker principal applicants and 22% of skilled worker spouse and dependents. By contrast, higher proportions of skilled workers and other economic immigrants (approximately 42% and 38% respectively) reported that most of their new friends were co-ethnic, compared to 28% of immigrants in the family category. In essence, a greater proportion of newcomers in the family category made new friends exclusively within their ethnic group compared to immigrants from the other categories, with the opposite true for refugees.

Examining new friends by ethnicity reveals variations in the extent to which newcomers make friends within their own ethnic group. The majority of East/Southeast and South Asians reported that all or most of their new friends are co-ethnic (90% and 77% respectively), followed by 58% of Eastern European Immigrants. This difference in social network composition may affect the type and quantity of resources flowing through newcomers' social networks, and help explain differences in the integration process by ethnicity.

Finally, there were variations in the extent to which new friends were co-ethnic by the top five census metropolitan areas (CMA) where immigrants were settled at the time of the interview. In larger centres, a higher proportion of newcomers' networks were populated by co-ethnic friends: Vancouver (81%), Toronto (80%), Ottawa-Gatineau (70%), Montreal (66%) and Calgary (61%).

One reason for the high proportion of co-ethnic friendships may be because immigrants are more likely to carry on the traditions and values of their ethnic or cultural group or their homeland with friends who are of the same background. In the LSIC, 83% of immigrants reported that carrying on the traditions and values of their homeland is important¹. However, a larger proportion (93%) also reported that it is important to learn about the values and traditions of their new homeland – Canada.

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Most immigrants satisfied with their experiences In Canada

Six months after arrival, almost three-quarters of the LSIC population reported being satisfied with their experiences. Satisfaction varied most by age group and immigration category. A higher proportion of immigrants in the youngest and eldest age categories reported being satisfied (84% and 91% respectively), while immigrants between 25 to 44 years and 45 to 64 years reported slightly lower proportions being satisfied (68% and 78% respectively). Immigrants between 25 to 44 years also had the highest proportion reporting being dissatisfied with their experiences in Canada (12%).

Immigrants in the family category, refugees and other economic immigrants reported the highest levels of satisfaction with their experiences (83%, 81% and 79% respectively), compared to 67% of skilled workers. Differences across immigration categories may be partially attributable to differences in motivations and expectations upon arrival, for example, misconceptions about potential employment opportunities and delays in skill and credential recognition. Skilled-worker immigrants had the highest proportion reporting being dissatisfied with their experience in Canada (12%).

By region, immigrants settled in Calgary reported the greatest level of satisfaction (80%), followed by immigrants settled in Montreal and Ottawa-Gatineau (73%), Vancouver (71%) and Toronto (69%). Nine out of ten immigrants who were living in non-metropolitan areas (89%) and eight in ten who were living in all other metropolitan areas (81%) were satisfied with their experiences in Canada.

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Experiences in Canada similar or better than what immigrants had expected

Overall, 36% of immigrants report their experiences in Canada have been better than expected, 40% what they expected, while 24% reported their experiences have been worse. Rating of experiences in Canada based on expectations differs by immigration category. Slightly more than half of refugees and family class immigrants reported their experiences had been better than expected. Proportionally, this is near twice as much as for skilled workers who, in contrast reported the highest rates of disappointment (31%).

If they had to make the choice over again, 89% would choose to come to Canada. Among the LSIC immigrants it is the ones who were satisfied with their experiences in Canada or who reported that their experiences were better than expected who were likely to indicate that they would move to Canada if they had to make the choice again.

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Many want to help family and friends immigrate to Canada

An indication of positive settlement experiences is the intention to sponsor an immigration application for other family members or otherwise assist friends to immigrate to Canada. Plans to obtain Canadian citizenship can also be a sign of satisfaction with life in Canada. Immigrants, whether permanent residents or Canadian citizens, may sponsor family members or relatives including: a spouse; conjugal partner; dependent children; parents; grandparents; adopted children; orphan brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and grandchildren; and any other relatives, subject to particular conditions.

Almost half (47%) of all new immigrants report plans to sponsor eligible family members or relatives or to help others immigrate to Canada . Many were planning on assisting brothers and sisters (46%), their parents (38%), their in-laws (16%), their friends (11%), and their children (10%)². Refugees were most likely to report plans to assist family members or friends to come to Canada (67%).

Immigrants may apply for Canadian citizenship when they have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years before their application for citizenship. In the LSIC, the majority of immigrants reported that they were planning to apply for Canadian citizenship (92%). Even for the 9% of recent immigrants who reported that if they had to choose again, they would not have chosen to come to Canada³, more than four out of five indicated their intention to apply for Canadian citizenship (82%).

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Conclusion

The process of settling and integrating into a new society is complex. If this process progresses smoothly, it is mutually beneficial to both new immigrants and the host society. Results from the LSIC show that family and friends are an important part of the integration process.

While the majority of the immigrants in the LSIC had family, friends or both in Canada at the time of arrival, 85% also reported making new friends since their arrival. Most immigrants reported that their new friends were from the same ethnic or cultural background. This may ease the integration process of new immigrants while helping to maintain ethnic or cultural ties with their homeland which was also important to new immigrants. However meeting friends who are not co-ethnic may facilitate a better understanding of local norms and establish local networks.

The high proportion of immigrants reporting satisfaction with their early experiences in Canada may indicate that, in spite of obstacles for some of them, most immigrants are adjusting and are committed to establish themselves successfully in Canada.

Additionally, six months after arrival, both the intention to sponsor others to Canada and intention to apply for Canadian citizenship are indicators of permanent settlement and also of positive immigrant experiences. Waves two and three will allow for a follow up of sponsorship and citizenship intentions.

Notes

1. This proportion combines immigrants having reported that carrying on the traditions and values of their homeland is "important" or "very important".
2. Respondents were able to select more than one answer category therefore the total of the percentages is greater than 100%.
3. There were also 2% of immigrants who reported that they did not know if they would immigrate to Canada again if they had the choice to make over.