International Law

Troubled times for immigrants

By immlawyer

As I've said many times in the past, immigrating to another country is not easy.

As the son of immigrants, I saw it first hand. There were more struggles before my birth, and my parents provide me with great perspective and insight into the lives of new immigrants.

This Toronto Star article discusses the difficulties for an immigrant family. Both primary wage earners lost their jobs. Both are struggling to adjust.

Excerpt:

When layoffs scatter workers, as they have with mounting frequency, immigrants are left facing the same problems as their Canadian-born counterparts. But they have additional hurdles, too. Before they can train for new careers many must improve their English. Another complication: Immigrants often find work through community or family relations, which means a husband and a wife, a cousin and an uncle may all become unemployed in one devastating swoop.

For many of these families, it is a time of unforgiving firsts. First employment insurance cheques, first resumés and interviews, the first time filling out government funding forms. The first time forced ? thrown, really ? into a job market dominated by service-sector work.

For generations, immigrants could find jobs that required few skills, yet gave them a middle-class lifestyle.

That door is closing.

The Sainis plod into the unknown with quiet dignity. They are willing to do whatever it takes. They will be patient. They will not forget to laugh, even if the laughter is often closer to a nervous giggle.

Full post as published by Canadian Immigration Blawg on December 01, 2008 (boomark / email).