Slow processing times main stressor for Hongkongers awaiting Canadian PR: study
University of British Columbia study also finds 80 per cent of immigrants from city struggled to find jobs in Canada that matched their skills
The slow processing of applications under an emigration pathway launched by the Canadian government for Hongkongers is the main stressor in life for more than half of immigrants, a study has found, with 80 per cent of respondents also saying they struggled to find jobs that aligned with their skills in the North American country.
The study by the University of British Columbia also found that more than 70 per cent of respondents were mostly “highly educated” but had an annual income before tax of C$67,282 (HK$367,000) – less than the average among Canadians – although they were not deprived of material needs and were generally in good physical and mental health.
The study was published recently by a research team at the university’s School of Social Work in collaboration with the institute’s Infrastructure and Integration Lab and the Hong Kong Studies Initiative. It aimed to study the experience of settlement and integration among Hongkongers in Canada.
The study was based on online surveys of 636 Hongkongers between September 8 and October 10 last year, nearly 80 per cent of whom arrived in the country by the bespoke pathway.
Work problems, such as unemployment, redundancy and conflicts with colleagues, topped the lists of stressors, with 56 per cent citing them as problems.
“Over half of respondents, 54.9 per cent, also indicated their uncertain status in Canada. Indeed, the delay in processing applications for permanent residency (PR) has become a prominent concern among lifeboat scheme permit holders now living in limbo,” it said.