Canadian Flag and Passport (Immigration.ca)
By: Simoni Parikh
New Land, New People, and New Opportunities. Canada. Immigrants are most likely to think about a new life and a better future when they think of Canada. The ability to start fresh and take control of their future draws many people to the Great White North, but the outcome that is initially hoped for doesn’t always work out.
There will always be pros and cons when it comes to immigration. An immigrant’s future relies on them. However, there are other contributing factors. When an immigrant comes to Canada, they land with a fresh start. A new life and opportunities await them and the rest of their lifes’ decisions are placed in their hands.
Apart from the positive side of a fresh start, there is always going to be a struggle in one’s journey. There is a general impression that first-generation immigrants suffer more than the upcoming generations. The majority of the time, it is true, but the first-generation must put in the work to have a well-rounded and healthy upbringing for their children. If the second generation was to try and make all of the right choices that their parents did not make, they would have to consider several things just like their parents.
For example, they would have to consider that there will be wage disparities, discrimination, and many more underlying factors. Several things are overlooked when it comes to immigrants.
Wage disparities are a common outcome for immigrants when they come to a new country. Not being able to speak English and not “fitting in” as per the generalized population can lead to a decrease in one’s salary or no salary at all because they are not qualified. As a result, they are forced to do labour jobs. The jobs provided and salaries that are given are distributed based on experience, gender, productivity and an individual’s work drive.
In fact, over the past couple of years, a survey was conducted by the Harvard Business Review and they found that there are several barriers when it comes to an individual’s income and there are many other factors that need to be considered;
How Multiple Barriers Can Affect Immigrant’s Pay (Statistics Canada)
Aside from immigrants' struggles, an immigrant's role in today’s society is crucial.
According to CIC News, “Immigration to drive Canada’s population growth as global birth rates fall” (Thevenot 2020). There has been a study that the population of Canada will peak mid-century and will significantly decline by 2100. Approximately 79 years from now, Canada’s population will start to decline and immigration will become a priority.
In 2019, more than 80 percent of the population growth came from immigrants all over the world. 18 percent of the population came from new births and is decreasing every year. In fact, “By 2030, Canada is expected to replace Russia as the tenth-largest economy in the world and maintain that ranking through the rest of the century.” (Thevenot 2020)
Although Canada will be taken over by immigrants in the next couple of years, Canada’s local economies will start to see more diversity. Yet another thing to consider would be that if there are more local economies, there is a reduced chance of developing certain areas of Canada. Since a great number of immigrants have been arriving to Ontario and British Columbia over the decades, it has left the rest of the provinces and territories to stay in the same status, underdeveloped. While Ontario and British Columbias’ economies grow, the rest of Canada continues to wait.
Works Cited
Thevenot, Shelby. “Immigration to DRIVE Canada's Population Growth as Global Birth Rates Fall.” CIC News, Canada Immigration News, 20 July 2020, www.cicnews.com/2020/07/immigration-to-drive-canadas-population-growth-as-global-birthrates-fall-0715086.html#gs.8ql24o.
Fitzsimmons, Stacey, et al. “Research: The Immigrant Income Gap.” Harvard Business Review, Stacey Fitzsimmons, Jen Baggs, and Mary Yoko Brannen, 11 May 2020, hbr.org/2020/05/research-the-immigrant-income-gap.
“Canada Delays Opening of Parents and Grandparents PROGRAM, Blaming Coronavirus.” Canada Immigration and Visa Information. Canadian Immigration Services and Free Online Evaluation., 29 Mar. 2020, www.immigration.ca/es/canada-delays-opening-of-parents-and-grandparents-program-blaming-coronavirus.