Canadians in Hong Kong and the Rest of the World: Some Policy Implications

Shibao GuoUniversity of Calgary

&Don DeVoretz

RIIM/Simon Fraser University

8th Metropolis ConferenceVancouver, March 24, 2006

Outline

• Contextual information

• Theoretical framework

• A questionnaire approach

• Preliminary results

• Conclusions and implications

The Chinese Leaver-Stayer Project

• Examines the underlying forces that influence the “move-stay” decision for Chinese immigrants

• Two stages

1. Seeks understanding of the integration experience of Chinese immigrants in Canada

2. The experience of Chinese immigrants who returned “home”

Research Questions

• Why do some people decide to leave while others stay?

• Who leaves, who stays, and why?

• Does Canada push them back home or do forces in their home country attract them back?

• What are the policy implications?

Human Capital

Triangle

Questionnaire

I. Basic information

II. Motivations for moving

III. Re-integration experience in China

IV. Concluding remarks

I: Basic Information

Gender Age Place of Birth

Current Residence

Family Members

Language

Marital Status

Nationality Education

Background

Gender

41. 33%

58. 67%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Male Female

Age Distribution

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

<20 20-25 26-30 31-33 34-36 37-39 40-42 43-45 46-48 49-51 52-55 56-59 >=60

%

Marital Status

36.99%

58.90%

0.00% 4.11%0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Single Married Seperated Divorced

%

Place of Current Residence

1.52%4.55%

1.52%1.52%4.55%

18.18%15.15%

53.03%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Mac

ao

Bei

jing

Dal

ian

Gua

ngzh

ou

Nan

ning

Sha

ngha

i

Hon

g K

ong

Oth

er

Citizenship Status before Leaving Canada

1.39%

9.72%

31.94%

56.94%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Canadian Citizen Chinese Citizenwith Canadian PR

Chinese Citizenon Canadian Visa

Other

Education Background

1.37% 2.74% 4.11%

12.33%

30.14%

49.32%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Less ThanHigh School

High SchoolDiploma

Non-University

Certificate orDiploma

Bachelor'sDegree

Master'sDegree

Ph.D.

%

Where Did You Receive Your Highest Level of Education?

1.37%

47.95%

34.25%

12.33%

4.11%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Aomen Canada Mainland HK Other

%

Do You Still Have Relatives in Canada?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Yes No

II. Motivations for Moving to Canada/China

Motivations for Moving to Canada

21.33%24.00%25.33%

28.00%

36.00%40.00%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

%

Have You Achieved Your Main Goals?

71.43%

28.57%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

Yes No

%

Preventing Factors

4.11%4.11%

5.48%

6.85% 6.85%

9.59%

10.96%

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

Lang

uage

Diff

icul

ties

Cul

tura

lBa

rrie

rs

Lack

of

Can

adia

nQ

ualif

icat

ions

Lack

of

Can

adia

nW

ork

Expe

rienc

e

Lack

of S

ocia

lN

etw

ork

Rac

ism

inC

anad

ian

Soci

ety

Chi

nese

Qua

lific

atio

nsN

otR

ecog

nize

d

Chi

nese

Wor

kEx

perie

nce

Not

Rec

ogni

zed

Oth

er* (

Mai

nly

Less

Empl

oym

ent

Opp

ortu

nitie

s)

%

1. Chinese qualifications not recognized 2. Chinese experience not recognized

3. Lack of Canadian work experience 4. Lack of Canadian qualifications

5. Language difficulties 6. Lack of social network

Motivations for Returning to China

29.23%

53.85%56.92%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%S

tudy

More

Job

Secu

rity

Less

Str

ess

Taki

ng C

are

of

Pare

nts

Speaki

ng E

nglis

h

Acq

uirin

gC

anadia

n

Natu

ral

Envi

ronm

ent

Oth

er*

*

1. More opportunities for promotion

2. Higher paying jobs

3. More job security

Length of Stay in Canada

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 21 24 30

Years

%

City of Residence before Returning to China

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

Ed

mo

nto

n

Ha

milt

on

Mo

ntr

ea

l

To

ron

to

Va

nco

uve

r

How Long Have You Returned to China?

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 17 25 29

Years

%

III: Re-integration Experience in China

• Any difficulties of re-integrating into Chinese society?

• Employment Experiences in China

• Social Experience

• Impressions of China

• Experience with government and non-government organizations

Have You Encountered Any Major Difficulties?

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

Yes No

%

Major Difficulties

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

20.00%C

ultu

ral

Adj

ustm

ent

Lang

uage

Soc

ial

Net

wor

king

Fin

ance

s

Cor

rupt

ion

Bur

eauc

racy

Em

ploy

men

t

Pol

lutio

n

Bei

ng a

For

eign

er

Acq

uisi

tion

ofC

hina

PR

Oth

er*

%

Current Job in China

11.67%

13.33%

16.67%

18.33%

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

20.00%

Senio

r

manager

Pro

fessio

nal

occ.

in

busin

ess a

nd

Cle

rical

occupations

and c

lerical

Pro

fessio

nal

occ.

in h

ealth,

regis

tere

d

Occ.

in s

ocia

l

scie

nce,

govern

ment

Occ.

in a

rt,

culture

,

recre

ation a

nd

Reta

il t

rade

superv

isors

,

sale

spers

ons,

Stu

dent

/

Work

1. Teachers and professors 2. Professional occ. in business & finance

3. Other managers occupations 4. Senior managers

Household Annual Income in China (¥)

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

Up to 20000 20001 to 50000 50001 to100000

100001 to150000

150001 to250000

Over 250001

$

%

Household Income in Canada

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

up to 20000 20001- 31000 31001- 46000 46001- 62000 62001- 78000 Over 78001

$

%

Employment Situation after Returning to China

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

Much Better Better Same Worse Much Worse

%

Is the China you returned to the same as the one you left with?

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

Yes No

If no, how would you describe it? (%)

More open 41.3 Same 4 Less open 1.3

More developed

48 Same 4 Less developed

0

More bureaucratic

9.3 Same 17.3 Less bureaucratic

10.7

More difficult to travel

6.7 Same 6.7 Less difficult to travel

28

More polluted

32 Same 5.3 Less polluted

6.7

Compared with Canada, how would you describe your life in China as a whole?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Much Better Better Same Worse Much Worse

Compared with your life BEFORE you left China, how would you describe your situation in China NOW?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Much Better Better Same Worse Much Worse

Any regrets of returning to China?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Yes No In some ways

In your re-integration process, which group most helpful?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Your

work

unit

Govern

ment

org

aniz

atio

ns

Friends a

nd

fam

ily

Non

-

govern

ment

org

aniz

atio

ns

Oth

er

3.23 Areas That Need Help

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

Fin

din

g a

Jo

b

Fin

din

ga

cco

mm

od

atio

n

Ap

ply

ing

for

Re

sid

en

t Pe

rmit

Ap

ply

ing

for

rese

arc

h g

ran

t

Ap

ply

ing

for

aL

oa

n to

Sta

rtB

usi

ne

ssA

pp

lyin

g fo

r a

loa

nto

bu

y a

na

pa

rtm

en

t or

ah

ou

se

Fin

din

g a

sch

oo

lfo

r yo

ur

child

ren

Pro

vid

ing

 Ch

ine

sela

ng

ua

ge

cla

sse

s

Fin

din

g a

job

for

you

r sp

ou

se

Oth

er*

%

Areas That Need Help

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%F

ind

ing

a J

ob

Fin

din

ga

cco

mm

od

atio

n

Ap

ply

ing

for

Re

sid

en

t Pe

rmit

Ap

ply

ing

for

rese

arc

h g

ran

t

Ap

ply

ing

for

aL

oa

n to

Sta

rtB

usi

ne

ssA

pp

lyin

g fo

r a

loa

nto

bu

y a

na

pa

rtm

en

t or

ah

ou

se

Fin

din

g a

sch

oo

lfo

r yo

ur

child

ren

Pro

vid

ing

 Ch

ine

sela

ng

ua

ge

cla

sse

s

Fin

din

g a

job

for

you

r sp

ou

se

Oth

er*

%

Policy Implications

• How much returning is good for Canada?– 0%?– 100%?

• What can Canadian Government do to help retain this group of immigrants?

• What are the policy implications of this research to other immigrants in Canada?

Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!