A place to call home?: recent immigrant integration experiences in Lethbridge, Alberta
Abstract
The settlement and integration of immigrants is a common policy focus for governments and researchers across the world. In Canada, these policies have become more relevant over the last twenty years. Still, most of the conversations about integration processes in Canada occur in the context of Canada’s largest and most diverse cities. In this thesis, I examine the settlement experiences of recent landed immigrants in Lethbridge—a small Albertan city. My analyses especially highlight the crucial roles that community support, length of residence, and admission class play in determining settlement outcomes of recent immigrants in Lethbridge, Alberta. Based on the data, it is safe to say that integration is promoted in Lethbridge, but immigrants still do not fare as well as the general population. The outcomes of integration process also varies depending on the lived experience of newcomers. For example, refugees are more susceptible to poorer outcomes of integration processes, while highly educated immigrants tend to perform relatively well. To increase the efficiency of integration programmes in Lethbridge, I propose to hire more immigrants to have their perspectives at the table in decision-making; increase access to and availability of relevant settlement information to immigrants; provide more mental health support; provide specific employment supports for economic immigrants; offer services to people without PR status.
Notes
Key findings
Although integration is promoted in Lethbridge, immigrants do not fare as well as the general population
Refugees are more susceptible to poorer outcomes of integration processes, while highly educated immigrants tend to perform relatively well. At the same time, educated immigrants feel less included because Canadian society views their skills and education as less valuable.
Employment is a “minimum for survival” and the key to security and independence
Limited English language abilities prevent recent refugees (i.e. Syrians) to spend time with people with different from them backgrounds -> this slows down their integration process
Location
Lethbridge
Gaps identified
Housing and labour market are not adapted enough to include immigrants and fulfill their needs
Integration timeline
At what point during the integration process the study was conducted?
NA
Key populations
Immigrants in Lethbridge
Key recommendations
Hiring more immigrants to have their perspectives at the table in decision-making; increase access to and availability of relevant settlement information to immigrants; more mental health support; specific employment supports for economic immigrants; important to offer services to people without PR status.
Open-access – Yes
https://opus.uleth.ca/handle/10133/5516
Community organizations