Jacqueline Addo remembers the moment two years ago when her husband Joshua told her that adjusting to Canadian life was too stressful to bear. The Ghana native had reached a breaking point and Jacqueline's mental health wasn't getting much better.
In short, I was nothing more than a shadow of myself, testifies Jacqueline.
Joshua had difficulty finding employment in his field of financial consulting. He made a living doing odd jobs as a courier for a company and for Costco.
Jacqueline looked after the children and they struggled to make ends meet on just one salary. They had to borrow money from family and friends to survive.
Today, Joshua works in an administrative position at Nova Scotia Power. The couple can finally release the pressure and make plans for the future. But not all immigrants have it so well.
The stress of moving to a new country and the often wide gap between immigrants' expectations of life in Canada and reality can lead to depression, frustration and a loss of self-esteem, according to several experts.
New Canadians are almost twice as likely as Canadian-born people to express concerns about their ability to support their families, according to a study published in December by Mental Health Research Canada.
Food insecurity and isolation without the support network of family and friends are associated with a greater incidence of mental health problems.
In 2022, more than 437,000 immigrants arrived in Canada. A record 12,500 people have settled in Nova Scotia, according to a provincially commissioned study, and that number could rise as Ottawa hopes to attract 500,000 new arrivals per year starting in 2026.
The stress of acculturation
Originally from Bangladesh, Iqbal Choudhury is a PhD student at Dalhousie University. His research focuses on the mental health of immigrants settling in Canada.
He says immigrants tend to have better mental health than their Canadian-born counterparts.
A report released in 2019 by Statistics Canada and the Canadian Center for Health Information shows that people who successfully adapt to Canada's immigration system, particularly economically, are in better health because they are better educated, slightly younger than the average Canadian are and because they must undergo medical examinations.
But over time, Choudhury observes, their mental health deteriorates compared to that of the general population, a phenomenon described as the “healthy immigrant effect” or “immigration paradox.” One possible cause is stress related to the acculturation process, he says.
Another factor is reduced self-esteem. As part of the immigration process, these individuals are assessed based on their education and work experience in the country of origin. They therefore hope to find an equivalent job in Canada.
But when they arrive, they often find it difficult to use their previous experiences and promote their degrees, the doctoral student adds.
This affects their ambitions and self-esteem. I would say it also prevents them from building a social network with their community in Canada, he says. »When they fail to find employment in the labor market, they are ashamed to tell those who have remained in their country of origin and their community in Canada.
For Choudhury, mental health is one of the crucial factors for social and economic development and progress. If Canada wants to build a productive and healthy future generation of immigrants, he says it is important that it examines the issues immigrants face and takes a close look at the resources available to improve their mental health.
Career decline
It sometimes takes years for immigrants to find a similar professional position as before, says a report released in September by the Conference Board of Canada.
If newcomers still believe in the fairy tale of Canada as a land of opportunity, the study shows that disillusionment is setting in, Daniel Bernhard, CEO of Conference Board, analyzes in the report.
After trying Canada for a while, more and more immigrants say “no,” “thanks,” and leave.
When asked by CBC News about the issue, Canada's Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said it offers preventive and non-clinical mental health support to newcomers through third-party organizations that provide processing services.
The same statement also said it is working with the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Center for Addiction and Mental Health to address the mental health needs of newcomers.
The inability to find suitable jobs
According to the Conference Board report, nearly 15% of immigrants leave Canada within 15 years of becoming permanent residents. But for some hoping to move elsewhere, uprooting again isn't a viable option, especially if they're older.
Manmeet and Randeep Oberoi sold everything they owned in the Indian state of Punjab to move to Canada with their two children in 2018.
They are both in their 50s and have postgraduate degrees from Indian universities.
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Manmeet and Randeep Oberoi immigrated to Canada in 2018.
Photo: Radio-Canada / CBC News
Manmeet was a principal at an educational institution and Randeep was a loan officer at a bank. Manmeet received her teaching certificate in Nova Scotia and now works as a substitute teacher, but is unable to secure a permanent position.
Randeep, for his part, has completed several banking training courses since his arrival but is still unemployed.
Both assumed it would take some time, perhaps two years, to find permanent employment, Randeep says.
Although they both have Canadian citizenship, Randeep has no idea how he might fit into the job market.
For Manmeet, the experience is particularly frustrating because she enjoys teaching and has extensive expertise.
manifestations of stress
Carmen Celina Moncayo, psychologist and manager at the Immigrant Services Association in Nova Scotia, explains that the stress caused by the immigration experience manifests itself in a variety of ways.
People can develop depression, anxiety, sleep problems, eating disorders and irritability, she points out. Distrust of ourselves, distrust of the environment… all the ways our bodies express stress.
Moncayo, who is originally from Colombia, explains that his club teaches newcomers that what they are experiencing is a completely normal reaction to uprooting.
After more than five years in Nova Scotia, Manmeet Oberoi wonders whether the decision to come here was the right one. “It’s very, very stressful,” she said. Sometimes I don't know how to survive here because if we don't have jobs here then why do so many people come here?
Based on a text by Vernon Ramesar, CBC News (New Window)