Chinese Immigration to Canada
Challenges - Opportunities
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Canadian culture and the way Canadians live their lives is significantly different from the Chinese. Chinese who are “fresh off the boat” often struggle with language barriers, cultural gaps and the new environments they are introduced to because they arrived in a strange country with no experience. In spite of the difficulties many Chinese encounter, they are willing to acquire new knowledge about Canada. Many families who immigrate to Canada lose everything. They encounter financial, employment, and language issues. Although interacting in a new language can be extremely stressful for immigrants and be detrimental to their self-esteem, learning English is inevitable for
Chinese immigrants. Chinese immigrants would blend into Canadian society easier if they had previous knowledge of cultural and social differences or a greater language proficiency that would allow them to adapt more effectively in their new society as well as interact more comfortably.
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Immigrant children are usually shy when in a class with other Canadians. Most of the time, when Chinese students come to Canada, they usually associate with their friends who speak Chinese and they avoid interacting with other students who speak
English. However, when students make friends, they are introduced to a new language and new social behaviours. These new friendships are beneficial to both the native
Canadian as well as the immigrant student because they learn from each other. This learning fosters tolerance instead of breeding ignorance and racism. It is crucial for immigrant students to meet native Canadians because that is the most convenient means of introducing them to their new society.
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Families that have no relatives or friends in Canada immediately experience significant financial and employment problems. These complications prevent new immigrants from feeling safe in their new country, and many seek comfort in church groups. These church groups
!
Canadian culture and the way Canadians live their lives is significantly different from the Chinese. Chinese who are “fresh off the boat” often struggle with language barriers, cultural gaps and the new environments they are introduced to because they arrived in a strange country with no experience. In spite of the difficulties many Chinese encounter, they are willing to acquire new knowledge about Canada. Many families who immigrate to Canada lose everything. They encounter financial, employment, and language issues. Although interacting in a new language can be extremely stressful for immigrants and be detrimental to their self-esteem, learning English is inevitable for
Chinese immigrants. Chinese immigrants would blend into Canadian society easier if they had previous knowledge of cultural and social differences or a greater language proficiency that would allow them to adapt more effectively in their new society as well as interact more comfortably.
!
Immigrant children are usually shy when in a class with other Canadians. Most of the time, when Chinese students come to Canada, they usually associate with their friends who speak Chinese and they avoid interacting with other students who speak
English. However, when students make friends, they are introduced to a new language and new social behaviours. These new friendships are beneficial to both the native
Canadian as well as the immigrant student because they learn from each other. This learning fosters tolerance instead of breeding ignorance and racism. It is crucial for immigrant students to meet native Canadians because that is the most convenient means of introducing them to their new society.
!
Families that have no relatives or friends in Canada immediately experience significant financial and employment problems. These complications prevent new immigrants from feeling safe in their new country, and many seek comfort in church groups. These church groups