Canadian Public Policy
Volume 26, Issue 3, 2000, Pages 311-330

Gender difference in language acquisition and employment consequences among Southeast Asian refugees in Canada (Article)

Beiser M.* , Hou F.
  • a Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada
  • b Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada

Abstract

When they arrived in Canada, female Southeast Asian refugees were far less likely than males to speak English. The male linguistic advantage was still in evidence a decade later. Women had fewer opportunities than men to learn English during the post-migration period. Ironically, however, women benefited even more than their male counterparts from opportunities such as English as a second language (ESL) classes. English-language ability improved the likelihood of staying in the labour market. This effect was even stronger for women than for men. Resettlement policies must ensure unbiased opportunity to acquire the language of the receiving society.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Canada Asian immigrant refugee migrants experience language employment gender disparity
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0033761955&doi=10.2307%2f3552403&partnerID=40&md5=a64b49bcc47c98374f55a3a21fffb6fa
DOI: 10.2307/3552403
ISSN: 03170861
Cited by: 35
Original Language: English