Paola
Paola
Paola
Immigrant Narratives in Toronto
- System Analysis -
Objetive
Early signs of systemic pressure can be seen to be exerted on newcomers to Toronto, needing to straddle multiple systemic hierarchies and demonstrate value and
accountability to stakeholders as near-and-dear as their family, and as far-removed but influential as prospective employers and immigration-based agencies.
Stake Holder Map and Power Dynamics
Power dynamics between System stakeholders play a significant role in the current- state operation of the System of Immigration in Toronto, and offer an early look at the tensions and systemic challenges faced by newcomers for some, much, or all of their new lives in Toronto. Stakeholders such as employers and decision-makers directly impacting immigration outcomes such as the IRCC hold a high amount of
influence over newcomers and their experiences. Conversely, their level of interest – in other words & in more objective terms, their capacity to provide individual attention and empathy toward each newcomer interacting with them – is very low.
Causational Interactions
In terms of the causational interactions and their effects between the key
stakeholders in the System of Immigration in Toronto, a number of reinforcing
loops exist which can perpetuate newcomers’ socio-economic situation and their
levels of confidence in the decision to remain in Toronto. Resigning themselves to
employment below their previous level of qualification and seniority can reinforce
feelings of underappreciation and discrimination, which if sustained can promote
the reality that certain roles or positions in home countries will inevitably equate to
lower seniority roles in Toronto – ultimately establishing a cycle which keeps
newcomers in consistently-lower-income opportunity brackets.
Immigration Goals
Immigration is fueled by the desire and ability reinforcing loop: they desire to live
the life they want and need the ability to do so. These desires are not unique to
immigrants; it is a universal consideration for most humans. If they are able to do so,
their desire to remain in countries of origin will likely increase. If they are unable to
do so, their desire to leave their countries of origin and go elsewhere will likely
increase.
Deep Dive -
Integration Goals and Process
Immigrants’ settlement process revolves around the constant reassessment of the same desire and ability reinforcing loop. The most typical and well-known entry points or integration strategies are economic and socio-cultural integration.
Economic integration
In an attempt to integrate economically, many immigrants opted for seeking free/lower wage labour to satisfy employers’ demand for the ‘Canadian’ experience, which contributes to the feeling of underappreciation due to systemic discrimination in the workplace and community Despite being overqualified, some immigrants find these experiences helpful in making connections and eventually obtaining professional jobs, which increases their desire and ability to integrate
These experiences over the years help immigrants build resilience over the years, which lessens the feeling underappreciated
Socio-cultural integration Some immigrants opted for participating in activities associated with Canada’s cultural identity, such as consumption of specific foods, wearing various clothes, or playing certain sports, etc. Some immigrants integrated by marrying a native Both methods of integration appear to help increase language proficiency
which leads to higher earnings
Macro Level - Canada's Erouding Goals
While immigrants are contending with their day-to-day and reassessing their
present and future in Toronto, the government of Canada is stuck in their own
balancing loops as a result of ‘eroding goals’. The country is in need of immigrants to
fill the gaps of a shrinking workforce and support an aging population, hence they
welcomed over 1.3 million new immigrants into Canada from 2016 to 2021.
(Government of Canada, 2022) The amount of immigrants who settled into Canada
now face a critical issue: many of them are struggling to integrate economically,
leading to financial strains alongside their adaptation challenges. Compounded with
the lack of social and cultural integration, many immigrants experience a downturn
in mental health. (Padilla 2003) Many of them eventually opted for onward
migration. Lacking data in immigrant retention and recognition on immigrants
being disproportionately affected by the country’s standard of living, the
government of Canada is theoretically back to square one: gaps in the labour force
still needs to be filled to support the economy while the country’s population
continues to age.
Mega-Map System
