Women’s experiences of immigration to Canada: A review of the literature.

Abstract

This systematic review of the literature on the experiences of first-generation immigrant women in Canada was conducted with the aim of describing the factors found in the peer-reviewed literature that affect all aspects of their adjustment and well-being. This review was as broad as possible, while restricting it to peer-reviewed studies published from 1980 through 2015. On the basis of a comprehensive search of key databases (ERIC, PsycINFO, Medline, PubMed electronic databases, and university library e-journal sources), 166 peer-reviewed articles were identified whose results described some aspect of foreign-born women’s experiences in Canada. These articles were read and coded for (a) general topic of the study, (b) research methodology, (c) number of foreign-born women participants, (d) participant demographics (country of origin, legal status, and location within Canada), and (e) academic discipline of the study. A 3-step grounded theory approach was used to categorize the research topics of the articles. Six research topics emerged that exhaustively categorized all 166 articles: cultural transitioning, employment, housing, intimate partner violence, access to medical care, and mental health and well-being. The main findings of each article are described under those 6 topics. Foreign-born women faced economic, cultural, linguistic, and systemic barriers that impeded their access to health, social, and economic resources. Nonetheless, many studies revealed effective coping strategies and support networks that eased their transition to Canadian society. On the basis of these results, recommendations are made for further research on foreign-born women and for more effective and culturally sensitive mental health services.

“My Family’s Weight on My Shoulders”: Experiences of Jewish Immigrant Women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Toronto

“…The number of women immigrating to Canada has grown since 1980, with a larger proportion of racialized women from developing countries. Because current Canadian immigration policy is dictated primarily by economic preferences and skilled immigration priorities, the number of highly educated, professional women is growing even though women continue to immigrate to Canada primarily as dependents, either in the family class category or as the spouse of a principle applicant (Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018).…”

“…Some women actively challenge the traditional division of gender roles, whereas others maintain the pre-migration cultural expectations while taking up new roles, including entering the paid labor force. The negotiation of gender roles is closely related to women's experiences of integration into Canadian society and their relational experiences within their families and communities (Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). While often positively associated with increased familiarity with Canadian norms and practices and advancement of women's rights, changes in traditional gender roles, according to some research, may also be perceived as a threat to the family's cultural norms and result in increased risk of intimate partner violence (Guruge et al 2015).…”

“…Immigrant women's participation in paid employment experiences is often linked with gaining financial security and a sense of independence (Dlamini et al 2012;Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). However, immigrant women are often underemployed or employed in dead-end, low skill jobs or traditional female jobs (e.g., child and eldercare, cleaning, garment industry) and earn lower incomes than Canadian-born women (Maitra and Shan 2007;Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). They are also more likely to be unemployed than immigrant men (Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018).…”

“…However, immigrant women are often underemployed or employed in dead-end, low skill jobs or traditional female jobs (e.g., child and eldercare, cleaning, garment industry) and earn lower incomes than Canadian-born women (Maitra and Shan 2007;Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). They are also more likely to be unemployed than immigrant men (Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). Many professional women trained in male-dominated fields are forced to change their employment trajectories to female-dominated arenas (Banerjee and Verma 2012; Meraj 2015; Ng and Shan 2010; Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018).…”

“…Multiple burdens of combining paid employment with social reproduction responsibilities lack extended family support and loss of social support networks including adjustment to the Canadian cultural norms, experiences of discrimination at work, and barriers in accessing and utilizing healthcare services (lack of information about or awareness of the services, insufficient supports to access these services, and discordant expectations between the women and their service providers) (Ahmed et al 2008;Hagey et al 2001;Higginbottom et al 2015;Tang et al 2007). Informal emotional, instrumental, and informational support from friends and family and participation in religious community practices improved women's mental health and sense of well-being and acted as a buffer against the previously mentioned stressors, underscoring the importance of social support and the inadequacy of existing settlement services (Choi et al 2014;Koert et al 2011;Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018).…”