Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - December 2008
A recent study has found that for immigrants, the process of integration can take up to 20 years and tends to follow through several common stages.
The study, conducted and released by the University of Calgary, is based upon data obtained from approximately two thousand immigrant participants. The aim was to demystify and analyzed the process of acculturation in terms of immigration.
Researchers found several common stages of acculturation, beginning with a �honeymoon� stage lasting anywhere from weeks to months after arrival. At this stage, the immigrant�s outlook toward their new home is positive and they strive to assimilate themselves.
This is usually followed by a more negative and discouraging stage that can last for years, where culture shock and society rejection often occurs.
The third identified phase is where immigrants �adapt to the challenges of living in a new society and enter a stage of a steady, gradual acculturation and internalization of local values and practices.� This stage often takes upwards of 20 years and, in most cases, a full assimilation does not occur.
The study also found a direct link between immigrant integration rates and their interaction with locals. The more contact an immigrant has with their new society, the quicker their value systems begin to converge.
Source: Financial Post
