A case for immigration

Amidst high inflation and cost of living, as well as future uncertainty, could immigration be a viable solution?

By Arwa Emhemed

Last November, the Premier of Quebec François Legault released the upcoming immigration plan for the province, which centers on accepting around 50,000 newcomers, a plan that is consistent with the numbers from the year before. While economic uncertainty, inflation, and challenges to the cost of living loom large, the Quebec government has an opportunity to increase immigration capacity as a solution — but for many reasons, this remains a challenge. 

One of the strongest advocates for increasing the immigration rate is the Chamber of Commerce, where board president Michel Leblanc emphasized that increasing Quebec’s current immigration capacity could be the solution for alleviating the labour shortage experienced in the health, education, and technology sectors. 

Legault on the other hand appeared to advocate for a more conservative approach that is largely based on wariness around the fact that raising the annual immigration rate might threaten the French language in the province. He argued that “increasing  [immigration levels] to 60,000 is needed but it is also important for us, to stop, to reverse the decline of French."

Certainly, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and others who advocate for increasing the levels of immigration are right about the economic benefits of admitting more skilled people. Immigration in Quebec yields numerous economic benefits. 

First, skilled immigrants play a pivotal role in addressing labour shortages by contributing diverse skills to industries and enhancing economic productivity. With an aging population, demographic challenges, and resource drains, immigration ensures a steady healthy workforce flow that sustains economic growth and supports social welfare systems. Second, their financial contributions bolster tax revenues, which might result in increased funding for public services and infrastructure. Not to mention, attracting highly skilled immigrants enhances the development of key industries, reinforcing Quebec's position and global image as a hub for talent and innovation.

However, whether Quebec benefits from these advantages largely depends on how well-integrated and accepted the workers are within the society. Often, many of these communities are left at the margins of society due to obstacles such as language barriers, discrimination in the workplace, and lack of recognition of foreign qualifications. 

One person recalled facing a hard time finding housing within the province despite mastery of the French language, saying that “ some landlords closed their doors in my face. Whether it was due to the colour of my skin or my accented speech, I don’t know, but I had the distinct feeling of being unwelcome.”

This invites the question of at which point does an immigrant truly become integrated into Quebec society? Perhaps we can begin to tackle this question by examining the concept of integration in the province of Quebec.

As part of their 2008 Commission Report on Reasonable Accommodation, Gerard Bouchard and Charles Taylor sought to analyze immigration integration policies at the provincial and federal levels, describing the former as being about interculturalism and the latter about multiculturalism. They argued that interculturalism as a policy emphasizes social cohesion and integration through communal values, as well as respect of differences and diversity. However, they argued that multiculturalism is incompatible with Quebec as it cannot address the province’s language conditions, its desire to preserve its fundamental culture, and its minority status in Canada.

This raises a compelling question about the true nature of these communal values and the extent to which they are practiced within a society that tends to marginalize those who deviate from the established norms in appearance or thought. It contests the level of inclusivity and acceptance within the societal fabric, prompting us to scrutinize the authenticity and depth of these shared values. 

The branches of this multilayered debate converge at two main crossing points; policy and culture. True success in welcoming a diverse number of immigrants lies not only in policy changes but also in a collective commitment to nurturing a culture of acceptance and inclusivity..

Bridging both will address the schism that currently undermines communal cohesion in the province and is quite costly to the province’s economy and social fabric. The result could propel the collective culture and mindset towards raising a generation that is not afraid of the other and instead encourage immigrants to find their rightful place as positive contributors.. Of course, this should happen in tandem with other policies that reduce the barriers for immigrants to enter the workforce including more robust anti-discrimination laws and proper recognition of their qualifications.

Arwa holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the American University of Beirut. Her final capstone project was dedicated to the development of an app referral system aimed at actively engaging community members in implementing an intervention to combat illegal migration from Lebanon. Alongside her academic pursuits, she gained practical experience in diverse fields, notably during her time at the i4policy Foundation, where she contributed to policy drafts and conducted research to assess policy-related initiatives. Arwa now seeks to leverage her experience and education to formulate policy recommendations to improve women's rights, particularly in Libya and the MENA region