The 8 Biggest Challenges Facing Immigrants
Hundreds of thousands of people around the world leave their homelands and travel to other countries. Many are fleeing places of war, hunger, famine, and persecution. However, refugees and immigrants, especially, are faced with many barriers once they arrive in a new country.
Here are the most significant issues facing migrants today – and what you can do to tackle them.
1. Language Barriers
The language barrier is the main challenge as it affects the ability to communicate with others. That is because it is assumed that immigrants will learn English or French, depending on their preferences. This may negatively impact the quality of informed decision-making and the care experience for immigrants.
Language barriers can also amplify the effects of other sources of disadvantage. In some countries, immigrants get substandard health care because they cannot speak the native language well. Moreover, the differences between the languages of the first generation and second-generation migrants can harm immigrants.
2. Lack of Employment Opportunities
Immigrants are among those people who are most likely to face discrimination on the job. That is because there are many problems rooted in how assignments are designed and managed. Moreover, many immigrant workers are excluded from labor and safety protections that are enjoyed by native-born workers.
Newly arrived immigrants are usually disenfranchised in terms of their knowledge of the job market. At the same time, immigrant professionals face difficulties in obtaining recognition for foreign academic credentials. Therefore, better policies are required to help minimize the hurdles that refugees face in the employment process.
3. Housing
Immigrants are probably the most vulnerable group when it comes to housing. That’s because they face severe challenges finding safe, decent, and affordable housing. However, housing problems for immigrants are more than just the homeownership rate. Many of these recently settled immigrants are jobless and can’t afford to pay rent. Moreover, there’s a higher housing cost burden for illegal immigrants compared with their legal immigrant counterparts. These housing problems require national and local responses.
4. Access to Medical Services
People should have access to health care services regardless of their nationality. However, immigrants have low rates of medical insurance coverage and poor access to health care services. Besides, policy changes have limited immigrants’ access to insurance and health care. These barriers range from financial limitations to discrimination and fear of deportation. This has contributed to growing concerns about immigrant’s ability to participate in many free healthcare programs.
In many countries, undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible to buy health insurance coverage. At the same time, research shows that immigrant families often forgo needed health care because they fear discrimination. Also, many immigrants are not eligible for subsidized participation in national health insurance programs.
5. Transportation Issues
The ability to drive a car can be essential to getting many everyday tasks done. However, immigrants have limited options when it comes to accessing reliable transport. One of the most significant difficulties immigrants face is the age-related unreliability of their vehicles. Therefore, getting to work and limited transportation are all genuine issues for immigrants.
Immigrants have problems with their travel primarily because they face auto-related issues, including their vehicles’ age. Private transportation is also a problem since most immigrants can’t obtain a driver’s license.
6. Cultural Differences
The general understanding of immigrants is based upon falsehoods, misunderstandings, and myths. These false ideas cause large and unfair disparities in many aspects of their life.
Even well-settled migrants face ongoing cultural and communication barriers. This can range from social customs to more significant issues such as religion. For instance, children may feel ashamed that they don’t know the most famous music.
Fear and distrust of immigrants have fueled the creation and success of cultural myths in many countries. Even deeds done with a good intention can come off as culturally insensitive. Therefore, people should keep an open mind and desist from perceiving anything that is different to be “wrong.”
7. Raising Children
Growing up as the child of parents who immigrated to another country is not easy. The socioeconomic and psychosocial concerns that children of immigrants often face in a new country can be challenging. Depression, anxiety, and panic disorder are common among immigrants’ children.
The pressure that children of immigrants face is high, and mental health support is low. Unlike adults, children are still in the process of creating their identities. Therefore, being caught between two cultures can create numerous internal conflicts.
Research has shown that children of immigrants are more likely to struggle in school. Other forms of discrimination they may face include discrimination, isolation, and financial stresses.
8. Prejudice
Many immigrants experience discrimination. In fact, there’s been a mammoth sweep of increased anti-immigration prejudice. These prejudices are exacerbated by how much news and information you consume. In particular, anti-immigrant attitudes sustain restrictive policies.
The prejudice tends to be either against all minority ethnic and religious groups. For instance, more non-EU migrants feel they face discrimination in the UK than those from Europe.
Many governments are stepping up efforts aimed at reducing discrimination and enhancing integration. That’s why we see more anti-racism and prejudice reduction campaigns on TV.
Final Thoughts
One billion people, one-seventh of the world’s population, are migrants. Despite these barriers, immigrants will continue to play an essential role in our communities and our economy.