Civic Engagement and Wellbeing Among Female Immigrants in Canada

Abstract

Much international research has examined the various ways in which immigrant women engage in the new society and the relationships between these ways of engagement and their wellbeing. The present study explores various factors that influence immigrant women’s levels of civic engagement and their effects on these women’s subjective wellbeing. Using data from the 2008 General Social Survey (GSS) and a custom-designed Civic Engagement Index (CEI), a representative sample of 1,872 immigrant women was analyzed based on a variety of civic engagement indicators, such as volunteer work, donations, membership in organizations and associations, and political participation. Although immigrant women had low levels of civic engagement, they tended to become more familiar with and knowledgeable about civic life—thus increasing their civic engagement—the longer they resided in Canada. Building social networks through the labour market, educational institutions, and parenting activities also helped to improve civic engagement among immigrant women. In addition, increased levels of civic engagement were found to be positively associated with both life satisfaction and mental health, with socio-economic status playing a central role in this relationship. The findings of this study expand our understanding of the role of civic engagement in immigrant women’s lives and can contribute to the development of policies that will promote the wellbeing of immigrant women.