Dr. Annick Lenoir Professor, Department of social

work Université de Sherbrooke

Metropolis seminar, Ottawa

January 25, 2010

OverviewGeneral background Implementing the provincial-regional-

municipal partnership A few challenges related to the

integration of immigrantsA few initiatives under wayPossible future initiativesConclusion

10,209 km² area that includes the city of Sherbrooke and seven other regional county municipalities

Immigration in Estrie is mostly urban and mostly in Sherbrooke (67.6% of the region’s immigrants) (MICC, 2009).

2006 Estrie Sherbrooke

Quebec

Total population

298,779

(4% of Quebec population

)

147,427(49.2% of Estrie

population)

7,546,131

Urban population

63.8% 91.3% 80.2%

Foreign-born population

5% 6.3% 11.1%

Date Source country

1830 Ireland

1840 Scotland, England, French-speaking Canada

1900-30

Italy, Syria, China, Russia

1945-50

Western Europe (France, Germany)

1950-60

Western Europe (Italy, Belgium, Austria), Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, USSR, Yugoslavia)

1960-75

United States, Haiti, Africa, India, Colombia, Chile

1970-80

Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) and Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica)

1980-90

Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia and the former Yugoslavia)

2000-… South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia), Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi), Asia (Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, Iraq, Pakistan), Europe (Bosnia-Herzegovina, former Yugoslavia, France), etc.

3- CHARACTERISTICS OF IMMIGRATION IN 3- CHARACTERISTICS OF IMMIGRATION IN ESTRIE TODAYESTRIE TODAY

Immigrants to Estrie in 2009, admitted to Quebec from 1998 to 2007

Immigrants to Quebec in 2009, admitted to Quebec from 1998 to 2007

Mostly selected refugees

43.1% refugees, 40% economic immigrants, 16% family class

19% refugees, 54.9% economic immigrants, 24.8% family class

Strong presence of immigrants from (a) South America, (b) Western and northern Europe and (c) Central Asia

(a) 21.3% (14.3% = Colombians)

(b) 17.9% (13.9% = French)

(c) 8.5% (6.8% = Afghans)

(a) 9.1% (4% = Colombians)

(b) 12.6% (9.9% = French)

(c) 3.9% (in 2006, 0.5% = Afghans)

Relatively young population

(a) 0-24 years: 45.7%

(b) 25-44 years: 45.4%

(c) 45 years and older: 8.8%

(a) 0-24 years: 36%

(b) 25-44 years: 56.2%

(c) 45 years and older: 8.7%

Time in Canada as of 2006 census

(a) 5 years or less: 30.6%

(b) 10 years or less: 44.6%

(a) 5 years or less: 22.8%

(b) 10 years or less: 35.6%

The EstrieThe Estrie CRÉ [regional conference of elected officials]regional conference of elected officials] has a four-prong Plan de développement quinquennal [five-year development plan] (2007-12), the second prong of which is entitled Miser sur le capital humain et l’immigration comme moteur de développement [human capital and immigration as an engine of growth] (CRÉ Estrie, 2007).

The city of Sherbrooke’sThe city of Sherbrooke’s Politique d’accueil et d’intégration des personnes immigrantes [policy on welcoming and integrating immigrants], in place since 2004, has four focuses: Provide access to municipal services to all immigrants Foster the representation of immigrants in all areas of

municipal activity Foster cross-cultural understanding Develop the partnership (Ville de Sherbrooke, 2009)

Strategic plan (2008-2012) focused on the following: Openness – diversity and sharing common values Recruitment and selection of immigrants Francization and integration Support for immigrants during the integration process

(various measures taken) Improved organizational performance Development of human resources skills

Various programs and initiatives related to reception, settlement, integration, francization, and regionalization of immigration, including the following: Programme d’accompagnement des nouveaux arrivants

(PANA)[newcomer assistance program] Programme Action diversité (PAD)[action diversity

program] Programme régional d’intégration (PRI)[regional

integration program] Programme d’aide financière pour l’intégration

linguistique des immigrants (PAFILI)[financial assistance program for the linguistic integration of immigrants]

The agreements are aimed at fostering the attraction and retention of immigrants in the regions.

They focus on the increased autonomy of these municipalities and on shared responsibility for integration.

The agreements help support the following: Implementation of regional action plans that foster

support to newcomers during the integration process Meeting the needs of businesses located in their area Increased understanding between the host population

and immigrants

In 2009, 12 specific agreements were signed between the

Government of Quebec, through the MICC, and 12 CRÉs

8 other agreements were entered into directly with municipalities

The Estrie CRÉ and the city of Sherbrooke were among the first to enter into such an agreement (2005).

Heterogeneity of immigrants: Source country, mother tongue, schooling, immigration route and immigration status

2009 Estrie Quebec

Admitted to Quebec from 1998 to 2007

Immigrants’ level of education

(a) 17 years and more

(b) 12-16 years

(c) 11 years or less

(a) 30.2%

(b) 40.8%

(c) 29%

(a) 29.5%

(b) 46.5%

(c) 21.4%

Knowledge of French vs. no knowledge of either official language

47% vs. 44.2% 54.4% vs. 29.1%

Time in Canada as of 2006 census

(a) 5 years or less

(b) 10 years or less

30.6%

44.6%

22.8%

35.6%

Need for the region, but particularly for the city of Sherbrooke, to ensure that existing institutions adapt in order to meet immigrants’ diverse and changing needs.

This is another huge challenge.

Various partnerships have been established: Between the different immigrant support

organizations in the region and educational, health, social service, and other institutions

An ad hoc committee on youth from cultural communities was formed and brings together the related organizations.

Region’s socio-economic characteristics

Other barriers to employment integration: Lack of knowledge of French and/or English Foreign credential recognition (immigrants’

educational and professional qualifications are often under-recognized)

Lack of recognition by employers of professional experience acquired abroad

Difficulty joining a professional body Lack of local professional networks Employers’ voluntary and involuntary

discrimination

2006 Estrie Sherbrooke

Quebec

Primary industry

4.7% 0.9% 3.7%

Construction

5.4% 4.8% 5.2%

Manufacturing

20.7% 15.3% 14.5%

Services 69.2% 79% 76.6%

Immigrants usually have jobs that are below their skill level and that the city considers “low level” positions (Ville de Sherbrooke, 2009).

2006 Estrie Quebec

Immigrant population

Total population

Immigrant population

Total population

Unemployment rate 14.4% 8.2% 10.9% 8%

2006 Sherbrooke Quebec

Immigrant population

Total population

Immigrant population

Total population

Average income, based on years since arrival

(a) 5 years or less

(b) 10 years or less

(c) Overall

(a) $18,655

(b) $23,896

(c) $27,654

$30,451

(a) $17,347

(b) $20,191

(c) $28,513 $28,513

Immigration to Estrie is nothing new, but it has become more heterogeneous, to the point that, as of several years ago, most immigrants are

Latin American Refugees Either highly or very poorly educated

The host population is poorly informed and has little awareness of the following:

The contribution of immigrants to Quebec’s development

Quebec’s efforts abroad to promote immigration The immigrant selection process Quebec’s humanitarian commitments Reception programs for refugees

This lack of awareness affects the following:

Prejudices regarding immigrants’ education, religion, culture, etc.

Perceptions regarding immigrants’ needs, expectations and requests

Perceptions regarding the benefit of developing, adapting and complementing services that are currently provided to immigrant clients

Perceptions regarding immigrants’ skills and abilities in terms of socialization or qualification (their ability to take part in society economically and socially)

The host population’s expectations of immigrants as citizens, workers, clients, etc.

Ready-made immigrants…

Multiple impacts on social integration:

Financial uncertainty (and therefore difficulty accessing housing) and a concentration of immigrants

Social isolation and related difficulties: Developing a social network that is not

immigrant-based Practising French Understanding how the host society works and,

therefore, participating in it

Under-use of local resources

Lack of representation on local decision-making bodies

Genuine frustration on the part of the immigrants: They do not feel heard, understood or welcome. They may be disappointed with respect to their

immigration plans.

Immigrants have difficulties identifying themselves as part of the host society and in feeling like equal citizens

In 2001, 1.4% of immigrants living in Quebec lived in Estrie, vs. 1.9% in 2006 (MICC 2009b; MICC 2009c).

Relative success: The region is still not very attractive to economic

immigrants. Current migratory movements involve mostly

selected refugees (especially from Bhutan (2009) and Myanmar (2008)).

Access to employment is a key factor in destination choice and in retention:

Migration of immigrants from Estrie to other regions that are more promising with respect to employment (Montréal, Ontario, Alberta)

Several local or MICC-sponsored initiatives have been launched or are being run concurrently with those of the MICC. For example:

To raise the local population’s awareness of diversity:

The Festival des traditions du monde [world traditions festival] and the Buffet des Nations [buffet of nations] (city)

The Semaine québécoise des rencontres interculturelles [Quebec intercultural week] (MICC, city, CRÉ)

One day under the theme “Bilan et perspectives en immigration” [update and perspectives on immigration] (city, CRÉ)

To promote reception and integration: An initiative program for the reception and

integration of immigrants (city, MICC)

To promote employment integration: Job fair for immigrants in Estrie (MICC and

MESS) A job-shadowing program for young workers

(MICC and MESS)

To promote the regionalization of immigration: Promotion of the region to immigrants in

Montréal (MICC) Program to help immigrants in their job

search when they choose to settle in Sherbrooke after the initial meeting in Montréal (MICC)

Since integration and regionalization are still problematic, we must remain proactive and approach integration and regionalization differently.

Proposals of initiatives to develop concurrently with existing services and activities: Redesigning the organization of services by

training key resource people for immigrants who are looking for jobs

Continuing to develop and provide integration services for immigrants, but also focussing on information dissemination, and on raising awareness among the host population and among employers

Regionalizing immigration by attracting by promoting the region to foreign businesses

Immigrant integration is not the responsibility of a single government department or a few local institutions.

It depends on all of a community’s resources, whether it is a neighbourhood, a city, a region, the province or the country.

It depends on public decision-makers, association representatives, employers, and also the local population.

Today’s Quebec is the product of the work, imagination and entrepreneurship of thousands of immigrants a host of countries.

Ready-made immigrants? If they are given the necessary time and if they

are supported in the integration process, today’s immigrants will do great things tomorrow.

Thank you!