Negotiated Positions

Abstract

On the basis of a qualitative study with immigrant women in Windsor, Ontario, this article looks at women's responses to the challenges they face in the Canadian workplace, together with the value they place on working outside the home. The women reflected on their job searches, employment conditions, and work experiences as mediated by the norms and traditions of their home countries. Because of the struggle to obtain a job and the delicacy of retaining a job in a precarious economic climate, the women did not fight the discrimination they encountered in the workplace.

“My Family’s Weight on My Shoulders”: Experiences of Jewish Immigrant Women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Toronto

“…The existing research focuses on a number of areas relevant to immigrant women's experiences in Canada, namely employment, cultural transitioning, and the impact of immigration on physical and mental health. In addition to the commonly reported negative experiences related to discrimination (Dlamini et al 2012;Hagey et al 2001;Hojati 2009;Koert et al 2011;Rasouli et al 2008;Ronquillo 2012), deskilling and work-home imbalance (Choi et al 2014;Koert et al 2011;Martins and Reid 2007;Ronquillo 2012;Suto 2009), and problematic access to medical, mental health, and well-being services (Higginbottom et al 2015;Tang et al 2007). Some positive experiences associated with settlements were also reported.…”

“…Some positive experiences associated with settlements were also reported. These are higher personal autonomy (Jibeen and Hynie 2012), greater autonomy, and freedom to share their knowledge and expertise after securing professional employment (Ronquillo 2012), financial independence (Dlamini et al 2012), opportunities to financially support their parents back home (Ronquillo 2012), and improved educational prospects for their children (Dicocco-Bloom 2004).…”

“…Immigrant women's participation in paid employment experiences is often linked with gaining financial security and a sense of independence (Dlamini et al 2012;Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). However, immigrant women are often underemployed or employed in dead-end, low skill jobs or traditional female jobs (e.g., child and eldercare, cleaning, garment industry) and earn lower incomes than Canadian-born women (Maitra and Shan 2007;Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018).…”

“…Many professional women trained in male-dominated fields are forced to change their employment trajectories to female-dominated arenas (Banerjee and Verma 2012; Meraj 2015; Ng and Shan 2010; Rezazadeh and Hoover 2018). The experiences of underemployment, deskilling, and unemployment are explained by the systemic barriers related to the lack of Canadian educational credentials and Canadian experience, demanding lengthy and an expensive credential assessment process, and the high cost of childcare (Chai et al 2018;Chen 2008;Dlamini et al 2012;Meares 2010;Ng and Shan 2010;Sakamoto et al 2010;Suto 2009). Facing competing demands to contribute to family income and secure professional employment, while also completing domestic responsibilities, forces women to accept lower paid employment (Choi et al 2014;Koert et al 2011;Martins and Reid 2007;Ronquillo 2012;Suto 2009) and/or eventually accept their role as homemakers as "natural" (Dlamini et al 2012;Suto 2009).…”

“…Lack of English proficiency and knowledge of labor laws and rights often keeps them in low skilled and dangerous jobs. Many women, in both professional and low-skilled jobs, report facing discrimination and racist attitudes and noted persistence in "feeling foreign" (Dlamini et al 2012;Hagey et al 2001;Hojati 2009;Koert et al 2011;Rasouli et al 2008;Ronquillo 2012).…”