The Economics of Attachment: Immigrants’ Employment Experiences and Attachment to Canada Abdie Kazemipur Department of Sociology Memorial University of Newfoundland CRDCN Conference Evidence-Based Policy Formation and Evaluation Fredericton, NB October 23-24, 2012

Predictors of Attachment to Canada INTERACTION WITH OTHERS (social) PLEASANTNESS OF EXPERIENCES Acknowledgment of Discrimination against Muslims Pleasantness of Economic Experiences Interaction of Canadians with Muslims Positive Impression of Islam Pleasantness of Socio-cultural Experiences Attachment to Canada Interaction of Muslims with Muslims Positive Image of Canadians Interaction of Muslims with Canadians

Social/Cultural Integration of Immigrants (pre-1960s)

Immigrants were more inclined to assimilate Social/Cultural Integration of Immigrants: In the pre-1960s Environment, .... Most immigrants came from Europe Were Self-selected (willing to confront the risks, costs, uncertainties) Came from many countries Were dispersed in many neighbourhoods Immigration was discontinuous Host populations shared a common/clear identity Immigrants were more inclined to assimilate 1. This may be true for a ‘push-driven’ (as opposed to a ‘pull-driven’) immigration environment 2. In the ‘pull-driven’ environment, Immigrants must have a reason to integrate socially/culturally 3. The weight of push-pull factors may vary, based on immigrant category, e.g., for economic immigrants, the process is pull-driven

Social/Cultural Integration of Immigrants (post-1960s)

This study … … examines the impact of economic experiences of immigrants on the strength of their attachment to Canada … controls for other relevant variables … uses the data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) 7700 immigrants 2001-2005 3 waves(cycles)

...Religion matters

… and Gender matters

Conclusions In a pull-driven international migration environment… … Immigrants’ attachment to their new homes is a by-product … … not of their conscious decisions but of their experiences, … … and particularly, their economic experiences. Against this background, the situation of Muslim immigrants calls for some attention… … and that of Muslim immigrant women calls for a particular attention.