Journal of International Migration and Integration
Volume 9, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 269-288

The 'flexible' immigrant? Human capital discourse, the family household and labour market strategies (Article)

Creese G.* , Dyck I. , McLaren A.T.
  • a Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • b Department of Geography, Queen Mary, University of London, London, United Kingdom
  • c Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

Abstract

As Canadian immigration policy increasingly selects 'flexible' immigrants based on their human capital, it correspondingly problematises immigrant families. In drawing on interviews, conducted over a 5-year period in two different neighbourhoods in the Greater Vancouver area, we followed the paths of family households that recently immigrated to Canada. We argue that households not only provide fundamental support in the migration process, but also enable immigrants to adopt flexible strategies to deal with precarious circumstances and thereby begin the process of integration. Rather than being a 'problem', immigrant households, and particularly women's support roles within them, may be a critical lynchpin to successful integration. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.

Author Keywords

Human capital Immigrant family households Labour market strategies Gender

Index Keywords

international migration Canada immigration policy gender relations household structure labor market British Columbia Vancouver North America human capital
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-51849085110&doi=10.1007%2fs12134-008-0061-0&partnerID=40&md5=aa2ce0721713df7dd1899d286761b701
DOI: 10.1007/s12134-008-0061-0
ISSN: 14883473
Cited by: 34
Original Language: English