Factors affecting the Children of Recent Immigrants in Canada

I. Introduction

The number of children of recent immigrants is continuously increasing. One

reason is that parents think that Canada is the land of opportunity. They are motivated

to migrate because of their willingness to make a good future for their families (Holloway

et al., 2010). Their reason for coming to Canada has influenced their expectations of

their children (The Globe and Mail, 2012). Immigrants to Canada encounter numerous

difficulties in settlement and integration, especially newcomers from ethnic groups

(Brown, 1997). Children of different ethnicity have immigrated to Canada due to several

reasons like better educational and economic opportunities and safer and healthier

lives. (Anisef & Bunch, 1994). The youth, regardless of their families reasons for

immigrating, are facing high unemployment rates, peer pressure to fit in the society, and

significant pressure from their families to succeed academically and pursue professional

careers, as well as strict codes regarding the familys culture, and the language barrier

which affects the youths academic performance (Anisef & Bunch, 1994).

II. Education

Educational attainment is strongly connected with the children of immigrants

success (Brown, 1997). Newcomer youth are dedicated to take advantage of the

educational opportunities in order for them to integrate successfully (Brown, 1997). In

Canada and any other parts of the world, education is the single most important thing

that would determine a persons success (The Globe and Mail, 2012). Immigrant youth

strongly believed that those who do not have an education are less likely to obtain a job
because employers look for employees with a good level of education (The Globe and

Mail, 2012).

A lot of recent children of immigrants are facing difficulties regarding their

education. Youth were dropping out of school due to a number of combined factors,

including socio-economic status, economic status and financial issues which play a big

role in explaining why newcomer youth do not take advantage of educational

opportunities (Anisef & Bunch, 1994). One solution than immigrant parents found is to

put up a lot of savings in the bank for their childrens future education (Globe and Mail,

2014). Study shows that immigrant parents are more likely to save more in advance

than those of Canadian parents. The immigrant parents dont have the resources to

save much but theyre doing it anyway (Keung, 2008).

Anisef &Bunch (1994) indicate that a lot of newcomer youth encounter

challenges coping up with the school system. They have academic problems in

classroom, socializing with peers, joining the class discussion and they are more likely

to drop out from school (Globe and Mail, 2014). Some factors that may cause these

problems include policies in school, treatment of teachers towards the students, and

school programs that encourage newcomer youth to participate in school (The Globe

and Mail, 2012). Lam (1994) believes that immigrant parents may also contribute to

their childrens decision to leave school system because the youth feel like it would be

better to join the work force than to study.

 III. Age at immigration

The age of immigrant youths when they came to Canada was considered one of

the most important factors in settlement and adaptation (Anisef & Bunch, 1994).

According to Statistics Canada (2003), youth who arrive in Canada when they are older

are more likely to drop out than those who arrive here at an earlier age. Corak (2011)

said that immigrant families should consider the time of immigration in order for their

children to obtain educational success in the future. When youth arrive in Canada at a

young age, they generally have more opportunities to learn about the Canadian system

because they go to school (Fellegi, 2006). They have a more time in the school system

to adjust to the new culture and are less established in their original culture (Holloway et

al., 2010). Based on research, older immigrant youth said that it was harder for them to

adapt to a new life because they had already started school in their home countries and

already had a strong friendships established there (Anisef & Bunch, 1994). They also

felt shy, isolated, uncertain and passive in the Canadian environment (Corak, 2011).

Because they enter the school system at an age when most of their peers are already in

a well-established friendship circles and their relationships with Canadian-born peers

tend to unwell (Fellegi, 2006). For these youth the experience of separation from

extended family members, friends and places they had to leave behind is still affecting

their current relationships and making it hard for them to adapt in the new society they

live in (Anisef & Bunch, 1994).

 IV. Language

English mastery is the single most important prerequisite for academic success

and a great factor for adaptation to Canada (Tienda & Haskins, 2011). Hiebert (1998)

said that even though immigrant children and youth learn English language more easily

than their parents, they may still experience difficulties such as alienation and poor

academic performance (Tienda & Haskins, 2011). Learning English was found to be a

key of acceptance in their new world (Anisef & Kilbride, 2003). Without English

language skills, youth felt isolated in their schools because they cannot speak with other

children and sometimes cannot understand their teachers and their instructions (Corak,

2011). In order to solve these problems, youth are generally placed in ESL programs,

which help them learn the basics of English and provide them with ways to cope with

adaptation issues (Keung, 2008). While the intentions of these programs are admirable

and the results are generally positive, the fact remains that placement in ESL (English

as Second Language) classes is often resented by newcomer youth and leads to

stereotyping by their Canadian-born peers (Anisef & Kilbride, 2003).

V. Culture

Clash between old and new cultures greatly affects the relationship immigrant

youth and their families (Desai, 1998). Some parents responded to this struggle

between cultures by resisting adapting the new culture (Desai, 1998). Youth relates this

resistance to a lack of understanding their parents had of both Canadian culture and the

pressures that youth were facing to comply (Seat, 1997). Not all parents rejected their

childrens struggling between cultures. In some cases parents and youth worked

together toward compromise, combining old ways with new Canadian norms (Desai,
1998). As these youth go through settlement, adaptation and integration, they are

expected to shift in their cultural orientation (Desai, 1998). The majority of the parents

felt that their children should retain their cultural heritage (Holloway et al., 2010). While

accepting that the Canadian environment was a new reality, they believed that a strong

connection with their culture and values of origin would protect their children from many

uncertainties in Canada (Seat, 1997). Some parents said that they would allow their

children to decide what they want to learn about their original culture (Corak, 2011).

VI. Peers

Friends are extremely important for newcomer youth (Holloway et al., 2010).

Peers of the same country and culture tend to spend time together because of their

similarities (Desai, 1998). Friends therefore become the major source of information

regarding services, jobs and activities and they serve as role models (Holloway et al.,

2010). The newcomer youth also tend to rely on relatives and community members to

make themselves still feel at home (Fellegi, 2006). They are more likely to easily relate

to people who could understand their culture (Anisef & Kilbride, 2003). Socializing with

people on the same culture helps the youth to build trust and gain confidence towards

their new environment (Corak, 2011).

Immigrant parents have high expectations for the academic success of their

children (Seat, 1997). But sometimes they are unable to provide the support needed by

the youth in order for them to succeed academically or economically (Fellegi, 2006).

Parents are an essential source of support for their children (Fellegi, 2006). Youth are

more likely to complete their education and perform in school really well when they have

parents who push them and support them in their careers (Statistics Canada, 2003).