RBC study quantifies experiences of new immigrants from
South Asian countries
Owning a home is the most likely indicator of feeling settled
TORONTO, September 24, 2007 — A new study from
RBC and Ipsos Reid shows a large majority (87 per cent) of
new immigrants from South Asian countries are happy to be
in Canada and hopeful about their future (90 per cent), but
more than half (62 per cent) feel they are still in the process
of settling into their new lives here.
"We initiated this study of immigrants who have been
in Canada 10 years or less because we have many customers
who have been through the immigration experience. We wanted
to develop a deeper understanding of that experience and learn
more about what makes newcomers feel settled into their new
lives," said Mark Whitmell, RBC's director, Cultural
Markets. "For instance, having a better appreciation
of how important something like home ownership is to people
going through this significant life transition, gives us a
better perspective on how we can hopefully help make that
goal happen faster."
Stages of settling in Canada
According to South Asian survey respondents, 17 per cent still
feel new to Canada, 62 per cent feel they are getting settled
and 21 per cent feel truly established. While length of time
living in Canada is a good indicator of feeling established,
this is not always the case. Eleven per cent of new South
Asian immigrants who have been in Canada for less than three
years already feel established, while the same percentage
who have been here for five to ten years still feel new to
Canada.
"We have learned that regardless of a person's country
of origin, age or economic situation, most newcomers go through
a common immigration experience - from feeling new, to getting
settled, to becoming truly established," explained Mr.
Whitmell. "Each stage has a different focus and each
individual moves through those stages on their own unique
timeline."
Demographic Profile of New Immigrants from South Asia
The RBC study shows the majority of new immigrants from South
Asian countries are young, with 73 per cent of them being
between 25 and 49 years of age. This data is particularly
relevant as only 47 per cent of Canadians overall are represented
by people in this age range. New immigrants from South Asian
countries also tend to be well educated, with 62 per cent
saying they have at least some university education. Fifty-one
per cent come to Canada as "skilled workers"; followed
by "family sponsored" (31 per cent); and "investor/business"
(eight per cent).
Indicators of feeling settled
The top two indicators of feeling settled for all new immigrants
are having a good job and owning a home. For South Asian new
immigrants who already feel established in Canada, 31 per
cent say owning their own home is the true signifier of being
settled; while 17 per cent say it is having a good job. For
South Asian immigrants who do not feel settled, 41 per cent
rank having a good job as the primary signifier of being established,
while one in five (20 per cent) says it is owning their own
home.
Attitudes towards life in Canada
When it comes to attitudes towards life in Canada, new immigrants
from South Asian countries have mostly good things to say
about their experiences. Eighty-six per cent agree people
make them feel welcome, while 81 per cent say they feel connected
to people and activities outside their own ethnic or immigrant
community.
"The survey results also illuminate the challenges of
the immigration experience," added Mr. Whitmell. "Almost
three quarters (72 per cent) of immigrants from South Asian
countries say they feel overwhelmed and almost half (45 per
cent) are likely to feel lonely and disassociated from Canada.
It's indicators like these that truly make us stop and think
about the personal side of starting over in a new country.
Given the important role immigration plays in Canada's future,
helping newcomers achieve their settlement goals is really
a priority for all of us."
About the Survey Methodology
These are the findings of an RBC /Ipsos Reid survey conducted
between March 15 and April 30, 2007. The poll was based on
a randomly selected sample of 400 new South Asian immigrants
who are 18 years of age or older and have been in Canada for
10 years or less. With this sample size, the overall results
are considered ±4.9 percentage points, 19 time out
of 20, of what they would have been if all new immigrants
had been surveyed. The survey was conducted by telephone and
the interviews were held in Hindi, Punjabi, and English. The
findings were weighted to reflect the actual regional distribution
and ethnic composition of new Canadians immigrating to Canada
within the past 10 years.
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Media Contact:
Judi Levita, (416) 974-8810
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