This study examines the process of acculturation with a specific emphasis on the impact of economic integration on psychological well-being and adaptation. One hundred and ten Turkish immigrants were surveyed through questionnaires. Despite high educational attainments, two-thirds of the sample were either unemployed or underemployed. Inability to fully integrate into the labour force in the first six months in Canada was attributed mainly to lack of competence in both official languages, difficulty in getting credentials and accreditations recognized in Canada, and lack of Canadian work experience. In time, these barriers were overcome. In their place, market conditions (e.g., economic recession) delayed full participation in the work force. The model developed and tested through LISREL 8 demonstrated that adversity experienced in employment life, such as status loss, unemployment and underemployment had a negative impact on both psychological well-being and adaptation to Canada.

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