Challenges to integration

The previous chapters have outlined characteristics of the immigrants from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) and some of their experiences since arrival. This chapter examines problems or difficulties immigrants encountered during the initial six months, looking specifically at finding accommodations, finding a job, accessing health care and accessing education or training.

Immigrants who reported at least one problem or difficulty are the population of interest in this chapter. Immigrants who reported problems or difficulties were asked to identify all problems or difficulties and then the most serious problem which is the focus of this analysis. Respondents were asked whether they needed help for the problem they identified as most serious. If they reported needing help they were asked a series of follow up questions on whether or not they received the help and if they received help, what type of help and from whom. Respondents who reported needing but not receiving help were asked what type of help they needed.

This examination provides a better understanding of the type of obstacles that new immigrants face during the initial settlement period and of the types of help most needed and received, or not received. This will also help identify potential gaps with integration or settlement services for new immigrants.

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Finding housing

More than three quarters of the immigrants in the LSIC looked for housing within the first six months. By category, immigrants in the economic category were most likely to report trying to find housing (90%) compared with 41% of immigrants in the family category.

Of those who looked for housing, nearly four in 10 indicated that they had at least one problem or difficulty. Skilled workers and refugees were most likely to report difficulties finding housing (42% and 38% respectively), while immigrants in the family category were least likely to report problems (15%).

The high cost of housing was the most serious problem – identified by three in 10 immigrants – more so for immigrants in the family category (53%) and refugees (39%) compared with economic immigrants (30%). By province, immigrants who settled in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia were more likely to report high costs as their most serious problem (37%, 27% and 26% respectively) compared with immigrants who settled in Quebec (19%). Following high costs, lack of a guarantor or co-signer was reported as the most serious problem for 25% of economic immigrants and 28% of immigrants who settled in Ontario. Lack of adequate housing was more likely to be reported as the most serious problem for immigrants living in British Columbia (22%), Quebec (16%) and Alberta (14%) than for immigrants in Ontario (5%).

Although fewer immigrants reported problems finding housing than for other areas of integration, it was the area for which the highest proportion of immigrants received assistance. More than 40% of individuals who reported difficulties or problems finding housing received assistance, including more than half of the refugees who experienced problems. Friends who were already settled in Canada was the most commonly reported source of assistance (63%), followed by relatives or household members (22%) and settlement organizations (11%). Immigrants in the economic category were more likely to rely on friends for assistance (67%) compared with immigrants in the family category (29%). Immigrants in the family category were more likely to report relying on relatives or household members for help (56%) compared with refugees (25%) and economic immigrants (20%). A higher proportion of refugees relied on settlement organizations compared with economic immigrants (31% versus 10%).

Immigrants who did not receive assistance with reported problems or difficulties finding housing indicated that the availability of information, counselling and financial assistance were the most common types of help needed but not received¹.

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Accessing health care services

Of the four integration areas examined, fewer immigrants reported problems or difficulties accessing health care services. Within the first six months of arrival, 75% of newcomers tried to access health care services, of these, 23% reported at least one problem or difficulty.

Immigrants in the family category reported fewer problems than refugees and immigrants in the economic category (15% versus 20% and 28% respectively). By province, immigrants who settled in Quebec were more likely to report difficulties accessing health services (35%).

Similar to the concerns of Canadians (for reference see Maintaining health), long waiting lists and doctor availability was cited as the most serious problem among immigrants who tried to access health care services (45%), followed by high cost of health care and language problems (19% and 15% respectively). Refugees were most likely to report the high cost of health services as a serious problem (34%) compared with all other categories. Refugees were also most likely to report language problems as the most serious problem (26%) followed by immigrants in the family category (21%) and skilled worker spouse and dependents (18%).

Among the new immigrants who sought health care services, 28% reported receiving assistance doing so. Relatives or household members and friends provided the most support, in similar proportions (38% and 37% respectively), followed by health workers (15%). A large proportion of immigrants in the family category reported receiving help from relatives or household members (79%), while skilled workers were more likely to receive help from friends (50%).

Just over one quarter of immigrants who tried to access health care services indicated they needed but did not receive help (27%). Financial help was identified as the type of help needed but not received (32%), followed by information (26%) and counselling (20%). Refugees, as well as newcomers who settled in Quebec , had the highest proportion of persons who reported needing but not receiving financial assistance for problems accessing health care services.

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Accessing education and/or training

Two thirds of the LSIC immigrants indicated they had tried to access education or training since their arrival. Four in 10 of these immigrants reported at least one problem or difficulty doing so. The most serious problem reported by immigrants in the LSIC was language barriers (27%) followed by financial problems (25%) and courses being full or not enough courses (11%).

Language barrier was most often reported as the most serious problem for skilled worker spouse and dependents (36%), immigrants in the family category (32%) and refugees (31%) and less so for skilled worker principal applicants (18%). Skilled worker principal applicants were more likely to report financial problems as the most serious problem (34%), compared with all other categories (18%). Financial problems were less of a serious problem for immigrants who settled in British Columbia (14%), compared with Ontario (29%), Alberta (28%) and Quebec (21%).

Nearly four in 10 (37%) immigrants who reported problems or difficulties accessing education or training received assistance for their most serious problem. Among immigration categories, 47% of refugees, 46% of immigrants in the family category, 40% of skilled worker spouse and dependents and 30% of skilled worker principal applicants received help.

Just over four in 10 (42%) economic immigrants reported receiving help from friends compared to 19% of immigrants in the family category. Almost two thirds of immigrants in the family category (65%) received help from relative or household members compared with 28% of skilled worker spouse and dependents and 16% of skilled worker principal applicants.

Three in 10 immigrants reported needing but not receiving help. Refugees and skilled worker principal applicants were the least likely to receive help (34% and 33% respectively). More immigrants who settled in Quebec reported needing but not receiving help (44%), compared with immigrants in Ontario (32%), Alberta (29%) and British Columbia (17%).

Skilled worker principal applicants and refugees reported needing but not receiving financial help (52% and 50% respectively), while immigrants in the family category were more likely to report needing information (36%).

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Finding employment

Of the four areas of integration examined, immigrants were most likely to report problems or difficulties finding employment. After six months in Canada , seven in 10 newcomers reported that they had tried to find employment, and 70% of these immigrants reported at least one problem or difficulty. The most serious problems were lack of Canadian job experience and/or references (28%), lack of recognition of foreign credentials and/or work experience (24%) and language problems (22%).

Only in Alberta, did newcomers encounter significantly fewer problems. This may be due to the fact that almost 6 in 10 of the new immigrants who settled in Alberta were employed at the time of the interview, whereas the national rate of employment for immigrants in the LSIC was 44%.

A lack of recognition of foreign credentials and/or work experience was more common for skilled workers– 28% for principal applicants and 24% for spouse and dependents. Language problems were more of a problem for refugees (44%), and immigrants in the family category (33%).

More than one in three newcomers who experienced problems finding employment received help (34%). Refugees and immigrants in the family category were most likely to receive help for problems finding employment (46% and 39% respectively). By province, immigrants in Alberta were the most likely to receive assistance (44%). This may be due to the distribution of new immigrants where a higher proportion of immigrants in family category and refugees settled in Alberta than in the rest of the country.

Immigrants who had problems finding employment received help from friends (36%), relatives or household members (26%) and settlement organizations (21%). Skilled worker principal applicants were most likely to receive help from friends (44%), while immigrants in the family category received help from relatives or household members (63%).

Among the individuals who encountered problems finding employment, three in 10 reported needing but not receiving help. By immigration category, skilled workers and refugees were most likely to report needing but not receiving help (32% and 29% respectively). Immigrants who settled in Quebec were most likely to report not receiving help (40%), compared with immigrants who settled in British Columbia (16%).

Counselling and information were the most common types of help needed but not received (44% and 40%), followed by help with language problems (12%).

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Conclusion

Moving to a new country is challenging. Although many new immigrants encountered difficulties, it appears problems finding employment was the biggest hurdle. Six months after arrival, lack of recognition of foreign qualifications and/or work experience, financial problems and language barriers were the most serious problems reported.

New immigrants most often depend on relatives or household members and friends for help with problems in all four areas of integration examined, followed by settlement organizations. The results presented here provide insight into barriers new immigrants experienced during the first six months in Canada , waves two and three will identify which if any, of these problems are temporary and which are longer term challenges for new immigrants.

Note

1. See Table C for information by province and Table D for information by immigration category.