immigratingintohomelessness

[immigratingintohomelessness]

Placing Immigration into Perspective

There are several reasons for immigrating from a country you used to call home. Whether it be to escape a war-torn country, to obtain a secure future, for education reasons, or simply for exploration purposes, whatever your reason may be, it is without a doubt that immigration is a very nerve-wracking process.

Munpreet’s Immigration Process:

Munpreet is a 38-year-old engineer who has been married for 15 years and has two daughters and a son. Both are quite young. He applied for his immigration status in India and it was finally approved. His family is thrilled, and his relatives are extremely happy as he will now be entering, what seems to them as, “paradise”. The weeks go by and it is finally their turn to board the plane with all of their belongings. They are looking forward to their new sanctuary, Toronto, Canada. Munpreet’s close friend also resides in Canada and has picked his family up from the airport and supported them in his house in Brampton. As the weeks went by, Munpreet’s family was finally “socially stable”, enough to purchase their first two-bedroom apartment of $800/month in the City of Brampton. Munpreet started applying for engineering-related jobs but quickly found out that the main reason for his rejections was due to his degree not being accredited, as well as the lack of Canadian work-experience. Munpreet had to do something and make at least some money, so he took his chance with many labour-intensive jobs (washing dishes, bathroom cleaning, taxi driving and many other ruthless jobs). Munpreet tried to go back to school but OSAP’s debt would have his head. Regardless, Munpreet’s friend hooked him up with a truck-driving job which had a relatively stable income. Fast forward a year, Munpreet now resides in a three-bedroom apartment in Brampton and still holds down the truck-driving job. He knows that his family is in a safe place with a shelter above their heads. He also knows that if something were to go wrong, his community would have their back, just like he would have theirs.

Sahoor’s Immigration Process:

Sahoor is a 43-year-old medical doctor residing in Syria and has been married for 20 years. He has four children, two of which are girls. All four of the children are still in elementary school. Sahoor’s immigration status to Canada has finally been approved and he is going there for the security of his children, as well as for political reasons. Sahoor’s flight day comes and his family is very excited to finally have peace of mind because in their home country, Sahoor is constantly worried for his family's security and well-being. Sahoor had also brought enough money with him to last him at least 5 months, in case he cannot find employment. When Sahoor landed, he had already booked a $500,000 condo near Davisville for his family to reside in and was well below his line of affordability. Sahoor started to apply for many medical-related positions but his medical degree was not recognized. He was however, still well off and went to school to gain back his accreditation but was unable to, due to him developing arthritis from his years of harsh studies. Fast forwarding a year, Sahoor’s family now resides in a one-bedroom basement at the end of Scarborough, where Sahoor is holding down a taxi driving job. His arthritis has also gotten worse. Sahoor is unsure if he can even please the landlord with enough cash for next month’s rent, and his family might have to couchsurf with a work-friend.

 As seen in these scenarios, one of the biggest fears which immigrants hold is the fear of being homeless. That is because the minute they land in Canada, many of them do not have access to social support right away, just like Sahoor’s family in the second scenario. It was recorded in 2006 that 43% of newcomers in Canada resided in Toronto, and that 7/10 of all Ontario immigrant resided in Toronto (Statistics Canada, 2018). It is argued by Chiu et. al (2009) and the Toronto Star, that approximately one-third of homeless individuals in Toronto are indeed immigrants, where many of them do not have a direct support system (Keung, 2009).

🤔But Ali, walking along Dundas or on my way to work, I only see the usual “crackhead” but never a brown or Asian family. Why is that?

This blog will explore the idea of Immigrant families choosing Toronto to be their place of residence, as they constantly fight to prevent homelessness.

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Toronto’s Scattered Support Systems (A.K.A Ethnic Enclaves)

Hidden homelessness is a term that often comes up when discussing homelessness amongst a general type of population. Hidden homelessness comes under the category of a “temporary” support system and is defined as staying with others, but without the guarantee of that residence being permanent” (HomelessnessHub, n.d). Much like how Sahoor constantly wondered about how to pay the next month’s rent. It can be said that Sahoor and his family were undergoing hidden homelessness.

Immigrants with access to networking and social support systems are less vulnerable to hidden homelessness than ones without those systems (Hiebert, D’Addario & Sherrell, 2005). Going back to the two perspectives on immigration, the key difference in Munpreet and Sahoor’s experience was one’s lack of a social support system. Munpreet’s family had a close friend to rely on from the moment they stepped off the plane, and his friend also hooked him up with a stable truck-driving job. Munpreet’s friend also introduced him to the Punjabi enclave in Brampton, acting as a secondary support system. 

That itself was a great blessing, a blessing which Sahoor’s family did not have. Sahoor had no guidance with his medical degree accreditation, nor with his employment. He booked an expensive condo as he was very well off, but he realized only later that it was a sinking investment. This ultimately led him to experience hidden homelessness because he was unsure if he could even afford next month’s rent. 

The concept of social support systems highly relates with the ethnic enclaves of Toronto. Ethnic enclaves are those where 30% of the population is a specific type of ethnicity (McAllister, 2013). The CMA Toronto (Guelph to Oshawa) has numerous enclaves in which, many newcomers find a social support system, much like Munpreet’s community in Brampton. Examples of ethnic enclaves include Markham’s Chinese community, Brampton’s South Asian community, Yonge Street’s Jewish community, the Junction’s Portuguese community and Woodbridge's Jewish community (Sundus, n.d). These ethnic enclaves have been deemed as “survival sanctuaries” for many newcomers because increased clustering in these areas have been observed from 2001 to 2006 (Contenta & Rankin, 2012). Social support is provided to individuals by respective community members, making these new arrivals less vulnerable to homelessness or hidden homelessness (Lightman, Mitchell & Wilson, 2008).

🤔 So Ali, you’re saying that if I am not part of these ethnicities and do not have a support system (and I have a hard time with speaking English), I’ll become homeless, or experience hidden homelessness like Sahoor?

No. I am saying that based off argumentative literature regarding immigrant families facing homelessness, your level of vulnerability in becoming homeless will increase if a support system is not personally established. From personal experience, a support system greatly reduces that adverse likelihood.                      

[immigratingintohomelessness]

The Factors that Induce Vulnerability

How exactly does the immigrant population experience increased vulnerability to homelessness? It was mentioned that lacking a support system highly increases that vulnerability, but other social factors also play a role. Looking for accommodation (such as housing or employment) outside of the ethnic enclave, discrimination and perceived illiteracy are also factors that limit an immigrant from getting equal employment opportunities as a Canadian-born resident (Ali, 2018). Miraftab (2000) argues that if an individual receives government support (welfare), dresses a certain way, and is of a racialized group, they will have lower access to housing, employment, and other social services. I am sure we can all assume that many incoming immigrants carry some or all of those features. A type of alienation can occur outside of the ethnic enclave because an individual cannot spend their life fully inside the enclave “bubble”.

 Access to affordable housing is not just being extremely rich when coming to Canada (Okay maybe if you’re rich, rich 🤑🤑🤑💲💲💰💰💸…), it can be a combination of political, economical, cultural and social factors (Zine, 2009). Immigrants on average lack the knowledge of the norms in Toronto, face language barriers, and a well-known barrier of unrecognized credentials. A mixture of all these factors give rise to the term “Differential Incorporation”. Murdie et al. (1999) explain that this term as one where a specific group of people experience unequal opportunities, in this case the immigrant population residing in Toronto. Housing is one of the main accommodations that the immigrant population has a hard time obtaining due to the concept of differential incorporation (Zine, 2009; Fotheringham, Walsh, Burrowes & McDonald, 2011).

So yes, lack of support systems does play a big factor in increasing homelessness vulnerability among immigrants, but even if you have access to a support system, you are going to have to leave the enclave some day for better housing, a better environment, and for employment. Majorly, finding adequate housing comes first (Fotheringham et al., 2011). The next concept that increases vulnerability would indeed be the concept of differential incorporation, or simply put, discrimination.

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Immigrants and their Subgroups

There are three main types of legal immigration processes within Canada. The first is economic immigration, where you and your family are chosen due to your skilled expertise in a professional field. The second is the nomination of other family members on behalf of the family member that has Canadian residency. The third ones are refugees, where individuals who are escaping cruel lifestyles, seek sanctity in Canada (Canada, 2017).

Out of the three types of immigration processes, I think refugees are deemed the most “at-risk” population for homelessness. I am sure that this is due to the literacy levels between “economic immigrants” and “refugee immigrants” ultimately, negatively impacting the refugees’ employment opportunities (Lightman et al., 2008). With the recent needs assessment survey, it was found that 40% of individuals utilizing Toronto shelters were refugees (Oudshoorn, 2018). That percentage has increased almost twice as much from 2017’s 25% (CBC News, 2018). Many argue that this is because of housing services being sold to private companies, for profit and not for subsidized housing (Lancaster, 2018). More and more subsidized housing services are being cut off for newcomers, where those same newcomers are not yet socially stable for employment, especially ones with refugee status. The shutting down of these refugee assisting systems is a concern to the “average homeless” individual as well. Since those 40% of refugees are now occupying the shelters, I greatly believe that this essentially prolongs wait times for other “native homeless” individuals to find a bed, adding onto the homelessness problem in Toronto.

🤔 Okay Ali, 40% of refugees are in homeless shelters now, what does all this mean?

It means that the number of homeless refugees have now increased and this has worsened the problem for individuals that have been on the waiting list, trying to find a bed. An influx to 40% from 25% in 2017 should not be taken as a joke, and that influx can be highly pinpointed to services being cut off for refugees. These service cuts include subsidized housing and other assistance programs.    

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The Financial Constraints of Immigrants

We are all constantly worrying about money, yet some of us are extremely blessed by never having to pay any of the household bills. Heck, two months ago, I wholeheartedly invested a grand into building a new computer for myself without even looking back. I consider that a blessing.

Now if you have a family to feed, and you are unsure if you can even pay off next month’s rent to keep a shelter above your family’s head, everything changes.

One perfect example of budget constraints while being a newcomer is the story of Anthony Rosario. The Toronto Star article mentioned that when the family first moved in, they bought a two-bedroom apartment and shared it amongst three children, in a family of five. The residence cost them $900 per month and ate up more than half the monthly family income. Anthony at the time was a baker who earned minimum wage and roughly made around $20,000 annually, translating to $1,667 monthly (Keung, 2012). Later on, they were sharing that same residence with three more individuals (their daughter in-law and two grandchildren). It was only after 14 years of residing in Canada, that they finally bought a subsidized three-bedroom apartment (Keung, 2012).

Now, let’s talk money. It is estimated that if you are a newcomer (6-12 months), you generally fall into the “$19,000 annual” category (Preston et al., 2011). Even being extremely conservative, let’s assume the rent prices “haven’t changed” from 2012 to 2019, and it costs $900 for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto. By paying $900 for a family that makes only $1,600 monthly, $700 is left for food, transit, clothes, and other accommodation for five individuals. In addition, many of these “cheap” rented residences do not have adequate living conditions. HomelessHub (2009) gives us a visual tour of inadequate living conditions ranging from cockroaches, to severed pipelines, and chewed-up electrical connections. Many newcomers are forced to reside within these unsanitary conditions just to keep a roof above their heads, while still struggling to pay their rent. Essentially, they get both the short ends of the stick.

It is no wonder that Sahoor in the second scenario is unsure if he can even please the landlord with next month’s rent. He would be making near $25,000 (with taxi-driving having a slight edge than the average minimum wage job) but has to share the leftover money among four children, his arthritis prescriptions, and other accommodations (Indeed, 2019). Simply put, living on minimum wage is not enough for a family that has just arrived in Canada. Rent money alone takes away quite a lot of the family’s monthly income. It can be said that this phenomenon is a precursor to hidden homelessness because their place of residence is not guaranteed each month.

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Trying to Match the Shoes of an “Average” Torontonian

Now in the previous post, I discussed the inability of newcomers to secure monthly rental payments which eventually, increases their vulnerability to hidden homelessness. It is estimated that the average income of a Torontonian is around $59,000 annually (Payscale, 2019), which translates to $4,916 monthly. As discussed earlier, a recent newcomer on minimum wage earns roughly $19,000 annually (Preston et al., 2011). Expanding on Sahoor’s scenario, he drives a taxi for a living but cannot drive for too long as his extremities are affected with arthritis. In order to match the income of the average Torontonian (one who can secure each month’s payment and still have $4,000 remaining for other accommodations) and at taxi driving being $16 per hour, Sahoor would have to work for ten hours straight, everyday, for 365 days. Many of us want to go home after the first hour of employment but Sahoor’s one hour of taxi driving only cuts off 1.8% of his annual rental payment.

Due to this “scavenging” of money through employment, many immigrants start to work multiple full-time jobs just to barely make enough for accommodations (outside of rent). From observations in my community, the typical South Asian immigrant would be driving a taxi for the day time and at night time, they would be working at a gas station. This situation is supported by Lightman et al. (2008), where they state that stressful working conditions for prolonged periods of time can lead to a decline in health. A situation which many newcomers face by having roughly five hours of sleep and starting the work cycle in the morning. In the Homelessness in a Canadian Society class at Ryerson University, a professor named Chris Munroe put the idea of multiple full-time employment into perspective. He used to work two jobs and was an enrolled student, both the job and enrollment being full-time. He said they were not the best days of his life, but he had to go through this, or he would experience “hard-core” homelessness. Chris’s story can be pinpointed to hidden homelessness as he had trouble securing each month’s rental payment.

From a highly personal experience, many devastating effects can occur by working multiple full-time jobs. Firstly, it would definitely be decreasing the lifespan of the individual who already has a pre-existing health-related condition, while holding down jobs without much rest. Development of a new health-related condition is also possible due to the lack of sleep and constant stress. But mainly, the children are also observed to become more and more distant when the parents are not around in their time of need. This raises the question: what is the point of holding down multiple employment positions when your kids are not getting any attention? Needless to say, the whole family suffers when one member in the household is holding down multiple positions to keep the family off the streets.

If only there were some assistance programs for newcomers to utilize, at least while they become “socially, economically, and mentally” stable. As of right now, it seems like a constant battle between spending enough time with your family in this new and unfamiliar place or keeping them off the streets.  

[immigratingintohomelessness]

Assistance from the Government

Newcomers to Toronto are not alone. Aside from ethnic enclaves, the Ontario government offers settlement agencies in various locations throughout Ontario. These agencies provide assistance in getting settled within the community, finding employment, registering children in school, and accessing healthcare services (Ontario, 2019). Most importantly, these agencies can help with accommodated housing, which greatly combats homelessness prevalence among newcomers. To help keep up with the monthly payments, there is also the Immigration Loan Program which covers additional settlement costs but as with any loan, it must be repaid after 12 months in Canada (Canada, 2018).

As for refugees, in 2015 when a wave of refugees was accepted, many were under financial support. Explained in my earlier post, now currently, 40% of homeless individuals are occupied by refugees in Toronto shelters. This makes us beg the question: Where did that government-support go? Are the support services even effective, or are they there just for “decoration”?  

All in all, Portes & Zhou (1993) and Lightman et al. (2008) argue that connecting with ethnic enclaves is the best type of support for immigrants and for their social/economic well-being. The government services seem to be effective in the first year, but since the financial assistance programs are mainly “loan-based”, immigrants are expected to repay them. How is Sahoor’s $700 enough for his arthritis prescriptions, with four children to feed, and while having to pay off the government’s loan? 

These support systems can only go so far for assistance, whereas enclaves are proven to help support families like Sahoor’s battle against hidden homelessness, homelessness. Ultimately, these enclaves provide a sanctuary.

🤔 So, Ali you’re saying that unless the government redesigns the financial assistance aspects for immigrants, those immigrants are better off relying on the ethnic enclave for support?

Yes, absolutely. 👍

[immigratingintohomelessness]

My Story and Now History

By now you should understand that immigrant families are also impacted by homelessness. In fact, they might be even worse off because they usually belong to a racialized group, lack of cultural norms, and high prevalence of language barriers. The type of homeless that immigrants face might not exactly be the “hard-core” version, but rather hidden homelessness, which can also be just as stressful. Support systems, such as ethnic enclaves, offer many resources that help against vulnerability to that type of homelessness.

I can highly relate to Munpreet and Sahoor’s immigration processes as my parent’s process was a mix of both. My mother and father were greeted by a close family-friend (like in Munpreet’s scenario) and their family was the basis of our support system back in 1999. They socially supported us for a month and ultimately, helped us reside in a South Asian enclave where our community became our next best social support system. My mother and father knew that they could rely on the community when they needed assistance. However, when entering the job market, my mother’s nursing license was not recognized and she had a decision to make: either to gain accreditation at her current age, or stick to minimum wage employment. She ultimately went back to school for accreditation. My father on the other hand, his experience was more like Sahoor’s. Yes, he had found a support system to guide him, but his accreditation was also not recognized. My mother studied, while my father held down several full-time jobs, just to secure next month’s rent in our two-bedroom apartment at Main Street and Danforth, much like in Sahoor’s scenario. At times, my father struggled to ensure payment for the next month’s rent due to us being a family of five, paying $1200 in rent.

At the end of the day, my family was blessed to have multiple support systems. Therefore, I encourage all of you to also become a social support system for a newcomer to Canada. By being their means of social support, you will be aiding to resolve homelessness indirectly. I urge any and all of you to go out in your communities and raise awareness regarding the matter of immigrants and homelessness. Not all immigrants already have their houses booked on Yonge Street, have their education accredited for, and have the means to import the new class of Mercedes. Some are asylum seekers, some are unrecognized doctors, and others have left everything they have worked for just so their children can have a secure future. Immigrant families should be considered a vulnerable group with regards to homelessness, as they might not show it, but chances are, they are definitely experiencing it.

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Reference List 🤓

Ali, N. (2018, August 01). Understanding Hidden Homelessness. Retrieved April 2, 2019, from https://homelesshub.ca/blog/understanding-hidden-homelessness

Canada. (2017, November 01). 2017 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/annual-report-parliament-immigration-2017.html#sec1_1

Canada. (2018). Financial help – Refugees. Retrieved April 2, 2019, from https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/help-within-canada/financial.html

CBC News. (2018, November 29). 4 in 10 people using Toronto homeless shelters are refugees or asylum claimants, report finds. CBC News. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/street-needs-assessment-2018-1.4925418

Chiu, S., Redelmeier, D. A., Tolomiczenko, G., Kiss, A., & Hwang, S. W. (2009). The health of homeless immigrants. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 63(11), 943–948. doi:10.1136/jech.2009.088468

Contenta, S., & Rankin, J. (2012, June 30). A Markham street reveals much about GTA ethnic enclaves. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2012/06/30/a_markham_street_reveals_much_about_gta_ethnic_enclaves.html

Fotheringham, S., Walsh, C. A., Burrowes, A., & McDonald, A. (2011). "A Place to Rest" The Role of Transitional Housing in Ending Homelessness for Women: A Photovoice Project. Retrieved April 2, 2019, from https://homelesshub.ca/resource/“-place-rest”-role-transitional-housing-ending-homelessness-women-photovoice-project

Hiebert D., D’Addario S., & Sherrell K. (May 2005). The Profile of Absolute and Relative Homelessness Among Immigrants, Refugees, and Refugee Claimants in the GVRD. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/NRP_002_EN_The_Profile_of_Absolute_and_Relative_Homele.pdf

HomelessnessHub. (2009). Hidden in...Plain Sight: Living Homeless in York Region. Retrieved April 2, 2019, from https://homelesshub.ca/resource/hidden-inplain-sight-living-homeless-york-region

HomelessnessHub. (n.d.). Hidden Homelessness. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/population-specific/hidden-homelessness

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Keung, N. (2009, October 20). One-third of homeless in city are immigrants. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/10/20/onethird_of_homeless_in_city_are_immigrants.html

Keung, N. (2012, April 02). New immigrants are the 'hidden homeless'. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/04/02/new_immigrants_are_the_hidden_homeless.html

Lancaster, J. (2018, November 12). Toronto stops plans to buy hotel currently housing homeless people, asylum seekers. CBC News. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/city-plaza-hotel-purchase-1.4899211

Lightman, E., Mitchell, A., & Wilson, B. (2008). Poverty is making us sick: A comprehensive survey of. Income and Health in Canada. Toronto: Community Social Planning Council of Toronto and the Wellesley Institute, 25.

McAllister, M. (2013, March 05). Ethnic enclaves. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://globalnews.ca/news/42874/ethnic-enclaves/

Miraftab, Faranak. (2000). Sheltering refugees: The housing experience of refugees in Metropolitan Vancouver, Canada. Canadian Journal of Urban Research 9. 42-63.

Ontario. (2019). Services for newcomers and refugees. Retrieved April 2, 2019, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/services-newcomers-and-refugees#section-0

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Portes, A., & Zhou, M. (1993). The New Second Generation: Segmented Assimilation and its Variants. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 530(1), 74–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716293530001006

Preston, V., Murdie, R., D’Addario, S., Sibanda, P., Murnaghan, A., Logan, J., & Ahn, M. (2011, December). Precarious Housing and Hidden Homelessness Among Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Immigrants in the Toronto Metropolitan Area. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from http://mbc.metropolis.net/assets/uploads/files/Precarious_Housing_Toronto_study.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2018, July 25). Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity in Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-010-x/99-010-x2011001-eng.cfm

Sundus. (n.d.). The Cultural Mosaic. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://sundus2305.wordpress.com/tag/ethnic-enclaves/

Zine, J. (2009). Living on the Ragged Edges: Latin Americans and Muslims and the Experience of Homelessness in Toronto. In J. D. Hulchanski, P. Campsie, S. Chau, S. Hwang, & E. Paradis (Eds.) Finding Home: Policy Options for Addressing Homelessness in Canada (ebook, Chapter 5.1). Toronto: Cities Centre, University of Toronto. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/5.1%20Zine%20-%20Latin%20Americans%20and%20Muslims.pdf

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About the Author

Ali Shakeel is currently in the final semester of the program: Occupational Health and Safety at Ryerson University. He will be moving on to complete his masters education at the University of Toronto, earning the Master of Public Health (MPH) credentials. More importantly, Ali inspires to assist the public with his professional employment. Ali is also a lifelong resident of Toronto, Canada.

Feel free to reach him at ali.shakeel@ryerson.ca.