Challenges and Resilience of Immigrant Parents in GTA during COVID 19 Pandemic

By: Kyra Pantig

The article will be referencing the study by Guruge et al. (2020), which elaborates the struggles of immigrants in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada, during the early months (February to March 2020) of the COVID 19 pandemic. The study aims to shed light on the challenges that the immigrants in GTA experience since the research and legislation towards this topic is very limited.

Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities globally, with nearly half immigrated to Canada from every corner of the world. It is estimated that 35% of immigrants in Canada are settled in Toronto, making it known to the rest of the world for its diverse and comprehensive cultures. In 2019, the world was astounded by the COVID 19 pandemic, filling it with uncertainties, fear and anxiety. It is no meager feat that the COVID 19 pandemic quickly became an equalizer because every individual is affected in unique ways. However, there is also no denying that immigrants, constituted by minority groups, are affected worse.

COVID 19 pandemic’s Effects on Immigrants in Greater Toronto Area

Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is multicultural, with almost half of its residents from different parts of the world. Being an immigrant is more than just living with “milk and honey” in one of the most progressive countries globally; it also entails sacrifices and perseverance to adjust and adapt to a whole new world that is Canada. Even before the pandemic, immigrants were more prone to experience longer work hours to make ends meet. Furthermore, most immigrants do not have English as their first language, creating a language barrier that hinders them from accessing the resources available for them from the government.

When the pandemic hit, many immigrants lost their jobs which made it impossible to pay rent. Since most immigrants are still new to their jobs, building up their networks or have lower-wage jobs, approximately 17% of immigrant workers lost their jobs. The closure of schools and transition to virtual classes is a challenge as most immigrant parents do not speak English fluently; therefore, they cannot help their children in online classes. Furthermore, most newly immigrated families in GTA do not have internet connections, making it impossible for them to access the new and virtual world created when the pandemic started. Another challenge for immigrants is that most live in apartment buildings, with shared room/s and washroom/s; hence, social distancing is impossible.

Multiculturalism is Canada's pride, but when it comes to legislation and availability of resources, members of minority groups are often set aside. Immigrants are left helpless in a foreign country that does not speak their language, at the time when they are separated from the rest of the world because of the COVID 19 pandemic. As the whole world is affected by the pandemic, most of the new provincial and federal legislation and health regulations fail to consider the situation where most immigrants lack the means and resources to survive. Many facets that are taken for granted by most Canadians are considered luxuries, especially by new immigrants (i.e. no internet connection and shared devices during virtual classes). It is imperative for the government to have an action to support immigrants as, first, they are overrepresented in lower-wage jobs. Second, to aid them with the correct resources to not just survive but to prosper and thrive in GTA, which will then yield to a more economically stable, holistic, and multicultural Canada that will progress even after the COVID 19 pandemic.

Challenges that the Immigrants face SOCIALLY

• Most immigrants live in ethnocultural communities (individuals with the same language, cultures, or country of origin) where they receive support on coping and adjusting to a new country like Canada; however, when the pandemic hit, this social support system also collided.

• Moving to a new country fuels family cohesion, but the pandemic also entails lost jobs, inability to pay rent and other financial instabilities that created adverse effects on spousal relationships of immigrants.

Challenges that the Immigrants face PHYSICALLY

• Most immigrants live in apartment buildings, and with children staying at home 24 hours, seven days a week, most immigrant parents worry about the physical well-being of their children.

“Kids are home and using electronic devices all the time, it’s very hard to make them do physical activities and keep them occupied”

• Immigrant mothers carry extra burdens because they have to balance their work (either from home or remotely), tending for their children (i.e. while playing and studying) while also making sure that the rest of the family are taken care of (i.e. doing the cooking and laundry).

Challenges that the Immigrants face MENTALLY

• Immigrants are still learning to navigate and cope in GTA. However, the pandemic caused them to live in fear and anxiety not just for their children's future but also for their financial instability and health.

• Many immigrant parents also fear the short and long-term effects of staying at home on the mental health of their children.

"I often feel scared that my child will become sick, and if so, as a first-generation immigrant to Canada I don't think I have enough support to take care of her."

• Immigrant parents increasingly find it challenging to find different activities that will engage their children daily. This is also primarily caused by lack of knowledge on resources (i.e. lack of internet connection, most households only have one computer)

“My child can’t go outside and often feels depressed staying inside as she loves being around people. I worry that this maybe affecting her developmentally, as my child is very young and this age needs socialization and exploring the outside environment.”

RESILIENCE amidst the pandemic

• Due to more time spent at home, many immigrant parents introduce their own culture to their children, thus strengthening their relationships.

• Despite the language barrier, immigrant parents' priority became their children's education, making them pay more attention to helping their children in online classes.

  • “My children’s schooling became a priority over everything else. This took up most of my time and energy.”

• Immigrant parents demonstrate optimism to look at the positive aspects that the pandemic brought to them and the resilience that the pandemic gave them the ability to overcome any barriers and challenges they may face in the future.

  • “Our life has changed totally, before the pandemic life was very busy everything seemed [to be] going very fast and there was a lot to do, but now the whole family has to stay home, and things have slowed down considerably.”

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

Most immigrants are already part of the workforce in GTA. With the proper support and resources provided to help them, they will learn to navigate, adjust and cope in Canada with more ease.

• Ethnocultural groups or communities (social support systems) which functioned remotely on different communities before the pandemic could transition virtually, which will allow for a safe space where immigrant parents can share experiences and tips (i.e. activities for children, meal preparations) with each other.

• The different government sectors (provincial, federal, and local) can focus on outreach regarding information and support for immigrant parents and members of minority groups regarding financial, employment, and health resources. This could be possible with the support both from the different ethnocultural groups who has access to individual/s or families and the government. The federal or provincial government may use websites, press releases, or media and television to connect with ethnocultural groups which will then relay the resources’ information to their members.

SOURCES

Primary Source

Paper title: COVID 19 Restrictions: Experiences of Immigrant Parents in Toronto

Authors: Sepali Guruge, Paula Lamaj, Charlotte Lee, Charlene Esteban Ronquillo, Souraya Sidani, Ernest Leung, Andrew Ssawe, Jason Altenberg, Hasina Amanzai and Lynn Morrison

Year: 2021

Journal: AIMS Public Health

Additional sources

El-Assal, K. (2020). Which cities in Canada attract the most immigrants? | Canada Immigration News. Citizenship and Immigration Canada. https://www.cicnews.com/2020/02/which-cities-in-canada-attract-the-most-immigrants-0213741.html#gs.ahfhx3

Hou, F., Picot, G., & Zhang, J. (2020). Transitions into and out of employment by immigrants during the COVID-19 lockdown and recovery. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00070-eng.htm

Thevenot, S. (2020). Toronto will still be attractive to immigrants after coronavirus | Canada Immigration News. Citizenship and Immigration Canada. https://www.cicnews.com/2020/06/toronto-will-still-be-attractive-to-immigrants-after-coronavirus-0614744.html#gs.ahfe95