Shibao Guo

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Settling West Exploring the Integration
Experience of Recent Mainland Chinese Immigrants
in Edmonton

• Shibao Guo
• University of Calgary
• Don DeVoretz
• RIIM/Simon Fraser University
• March 25, 2006

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Outline

• Contextual information
• A questionnaire approach
• Report of findings
• Conclusions and implications

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Canadian Immigration Policy

• Pre-1967 racial background
• 1967 the immigration point system
• 1980s business immigration program
• 1990s highly skilled immigrants
• 2001 Census
• 18.4 - born outside Canada
• 13.4 - visible minorities
• 1,029,400 Chinese Canadians

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History of Chinese Immigrants

• 1858 Chinese arrived in Victoria
• Coolie workers and chain migrants CPR
• From Guangdong Fujian
• Single men with rural origins
• 1885 1923 head tax (50 - 500)
• 1923 Chinese Immigration Act
• 1947 repeal of 1923 Act

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Chinese Emigration

• China isolated since 1949
• 1973 establishment of diplomatic relations
• Open door polices since 1978
• 1990s emigration phase

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The Chinese Leaver-Stayer Project

• Examines the underlying forces that influence the
  move-stay decision for Chinese immigrants
• Two stages
• 1. Seeks understanding of the integration
  experience of Chinese immigrants in Canada
• 2. The experience of Chinese immigrants who
  returned home
• The Canadian portion of the project involves a
  matched study in five cities Vancouver, Toronto,
  Montreal, Calgary, and Edmonton

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Research Questions

• Why do some people decide to leave while others
  stay?
• Who leaves, who stays, and why?
• Does Canada push them back home or do forces in
  their home country attract them back?
• What are the integration experiences of those who
  stayed in Canada?
• What are the policy implications?

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The Edmonton Study

• Focusing on the integration experience of recent
  Mainland Chinese immigrants in Edmonton

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Questionnaire

• Basic information
• Motivations for immigrating
• Integration experience in Canada
• Concluding remarks

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I Basic Information
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Major Cities They Came From
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II. Motivations for Immigrating to Canada

• a. Further Studies
• b. Higher Paying Job
• c. More Job Security
• d. Opportunities for Promotion
• e. Less Stress
• Family Reunion
• Taking Care of Parents
• Living in the Canadian Culture

• i. Speaking English
• Seeking New Opportunities
• Acquiring Canadian Citizenship or Permanent
  Residency
• Education for the Children
• m. Natural Environment
• n. Joining My Old Friends
• o. Other Motivations

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Top Five Motivations for Moving to Canada
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Top Five Major Barriers Preventing from
Achieving Goals
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III Integration Experience in Canada

• Any difficulties of integrating into Canadian
  society?
• Employment experiences in Canada
• Social experience
• Impressions of Canada
• Experience with government and non-government
  organizations

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Top Five Major Difficulties Facing Integration
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Employment Experiences

• Your job before and after immigration
• Your household income in Canada
• How would you describe your current job in
  comparison with your job before you left China

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Other Integration Experience

• Social Experience
• Friends and families
• Are you happier than before you left China?
• Impressions of Canada
• Three things which brought you the most/least
  satisfaction
• How would you describe your life in Canada now?
• Any regrets about moving to Canada?
• Experience with government and non-government
  organizations

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IV Concluding Remarks

• What could the Canadian government do to help new
  Chinese immigrants integrate into Canadian
  society more effectively?
• How could the two governments cooperate to help
  Chinese immigrants?
• Anything else youd like to add?

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Policy Implications

• What can Canadian Government do to help retain
  this group of immigrants?
• How can we facilitate immigrants access to the
  labour market?
• What are the policy implications of this research
  to other immigrants in Canada?

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Thank you!