RBC STUDY QUANTIFIES EXPERIENCES OF NEW IMMIGRANTS
FROM SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES

Owning a Home is the Most Likely Indicator of Feeling Settled

TORONTO, September 24, 2007 — A new study from RBC and Ipsos Reid shows a large majority (87 per cent) of new immigrants from South Asian countries are happy to be in Canada and hopeful about their future (90 per cent), but more than half (62 per cent) feel they are still in the process of settling into their new lives here.

“We initiated this study of immigrants who have been in Canada 10 years or less because we have many customers who have been through the immigration experience. We wanted to develop a deeper understanding of that experience and learn more about what makes newcomers feel settled into their new lives,” said Mark Whitmell, RBC’s director, Cultural Markets. “For instance, having a better appreciation of how important something like home ownership is to people going through this significant life transition, gives us a better perspective on how we can hopefully help make that goal happen faster.”

Stages of settling in Canada
According to South Asian survey respondents, 17 per cent still feel new to Canada, 62 per cent feel they are getting settled and 21 per cent feel truly established. While length of time living in Canada is a good indicator of feeling established, this is not always the case. Eleven per cent of new South Asian immigrants who have been in Canada for less than three years already feel established, while the same percentage who have been here for five to ten years still feel new to Canada.

“We have learned that regardless of a person’s country of origin, age or economic situation, most newcomers go through a common immigration experience - from feeling new, to getting settled, to becoming truly established,” explained Mr. Whitmell. “Each stage has a different focus and each individual moves through those stages on their own unique timeline.”

Demographic Profile of New Immigrants from South Asia
The RBC study shows the majority of new immigrants from South Asian countries are young, with 73 per cent of them being between 25 and 49 years of age. This data is particularly relevant as only 46 per cent of Canadians overall are represented by people in this age range. New immigrants from South Asian countries also tend to be well educated, with 62 per cent saying they have at least some university education. Fifty-one per cent come to Canada as “skilled workers”; followed by “family sponsored” (31 per cent); and “investor/business” (eight per cent).

Indicators of feeling settled
The top two indicators of feeling settled for all new immigrants are having a good job and owning a home. For South Asian new immigrants who already feel established in Canada, 31 per cent say owning their own home is the true signifier of being settled; while 17 per cent say it is having a good job. For South Asian immigrants who do not feel settled, 41 per cent rank having a good job as the primary signifier of being established, while one in five (20 per cent) says it is owning their own home.

Attitudes towards life in Canada
When it comes to attitudes towards life in Canada, new immigrants from South Asian countries have mostly good things to say about their experiences. Eighty-six per cent agree people make them feel welcome, while 81 per cent say they feel connected to people and activities outside their own ethnic or immigrant community.

“The survey results also illuminate the challenges of the immigration experience,” added Mr. Whitmell. “Almost three quarters (72 per cent) of immigrants from South Asian countries say they feel overwhelmed and almost half (45 per cent) are likely to feel lonely and disassociated from Canada. It’s indicators like these that truly make us stop and think about the personal side of starting over in a new country. Given the important role immigration plays in Canada’s future, helping newcomers achieve their settlement goals is really a priority for all of us.”

About the Survey Methodology
These are the findings of an RBC /Ipsos Reid survey conducted between March 15 and April 30, 2007. The poll was based on a randomly selected sample of 400 new South Asian immigrants who are 18 years of age or older and have been in Canada for 10 years or less. With this sample size, the overall results are considered ±4.9 percentage points, 19 time out of 20, of what they would have been if all new immigrants had been surveyed. The survey was conducted by telephone and the interviews were held in Hindi, Punjabi, and English. The findings were weighted to reflect the actual regional distribution and ethnic composition of new Canadians immigrating to Canada within the past 10 years.