Immigration, education, sense of community and mental well-being: the case of visible minority immigrants in Canada

Immigrants often cite improvements in quality of life as the motivation for immigration, yet it can lead to the loss of social networks, family and community ties. This article employed key informant interviews to explore visible minorities’ sense of community from the perspectives of immigrant resettlement service providers. Nine key informants were interviewed to document visible minority immigrants’ experiences in Canada, and how this affected their sense of community. Participants identified barriers to immigrants’ development of a new sense of community, including discrimination tied to improper placement within the Canadian educational system, unemployment/underemployment, poor housing conditions, language barriers, and lack of social support networks. Confronting these barriers will require creating a stronger sense of community by providing more and better support of immigrants, visible minorities and everyone across Canada. This would help eliminate discrimination against ethnic minorities and enhance a sense of community belonging amongst visible minorities in Canada.