It’s not all about the money for Durham’s immigrants

Columnist Neil Gonsalves features a local Durham couple, starting a new life in Whitby. - Originally from Bengaluru, India, Anisha and Rohan now live in Whitby.

Written by Neil Gonsalves | Originally published on September 2nd, 2023 | for Metroland Media Group | Durham Division | You can view the original article HERE to read it in it’s original format.

A better life in Canada does not just mean a better job. For some new immigrants the motivation has nothing to do with employment. Anisha and Rohan, a newly married couple in their mid-30s, moved from their home in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore — the Silicon Valley of India) to Whitby.

They both possess advanced degrees in biotechnology and business, respectively, and each brings more than a decade of work experience with them.

They explained that they came to Canada to get away from the rat-race back home. They had great jobs, a promising life and yet wanted something more. They appreciated the natural beauty of Canada, the quality of life available, and many simple things that many Canadians take for granted every day.

Much of our social and political discourse on Canadian immigration policy focuses almost exclusively on economic objectives. Undoubtedly, economic metrics are central to our evaluation. Immigration policy is not wholly altruistic, as some would like to pretend. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “Canada admits new permanent residents under four main categories. In 2021, 62 per cent of immigrants were admitted through economic pathways, 20 per cent through family sponsorship, 15 per cent as protected persons and refugees, and three per cent for humanitarian or other reasons.” There is an instrumental function to all government policy, pretending otherwise does not change the reality. But pragmatic function does not automatically devalue purpose.

Canada has a declining birth rate. For a population to sustain itself, it requires a birth rate of 2.1 per woman; our Canadian birth rate in 2023 is around 1.4 per woman, which means that without immigration, we cannot replenish our own population.

Canada has an aging population. Currently, it takes tax revenue from approximately four working-age adults to pay for each retiree. Immigration policy is intended to reduce that ratio, which will bolster service capability for retirement-aged citizens.

Finally, immigration seeks to address labour-market shortages by bringing in highly skilled and educated workers. Most new immigrants arrive through the economic category, which means they are here with functional purpose deemed necessary for the betterment of the Canadian economy.

Yet for Anisha and Rohan, gainful employment, while valuable, was not the only determinant of a better life. They describe themselves as “foodies,” who enjoy sampling various cuisines available at the increasingly diverse restaurant options in Durham. They love hiking the local trails, and even ventured out and tried skiing.

“The stereotype is real; Canadians are truly friendly” said Anisha, when recalling how helpful the local transit drivers were when they first arrived and didn’t know their way around. Rohan explained that life back home was highly transactional, fast paced and impersonal. Durham feels a little more like home to them every day, they love being a part of the culture here and are glad they made the leap to start life anew.

Debating immigration policy is completely within bounds for a democratic society, but it may help to remember that behind every statistic is a real person, family, and life, waiting to become a part of the Canadian mosaic. Turns out there is more to life than money after all.

Bio: Neil Gonsalves is an Indian-born Canadian immigrant who grew up in Dubai, U.A.E. and moved to Canada in 1995. He is an Ontario college professor, a TEDx speaker, a columnist, a recreational dog trainer and an advocate for new immigrant integration and viewpoint diversity.