Information sources and knowledge transfer to future migrants: A study of university students in India

Abstract

There is widespread recognition of the employment problems facing skilled immigrants in Canada. As a result, research reports high levels of frustration and anger over immigrants’ failed attempts to secure employment in Canada that is commensurate with their foreign-earned credentials and experience. Furthermore, research suggests that these employment problems are largely unanticipated by immigrants. As these employment difficulties have been observed for at least a decade, our study asks why immigrants are surprised by the difficulties they face in Canada. Our research questions focus on the sources of information being used by future migrants living in India. We wondered whether the information sources being used by future migrants are informing them of these employment struggles. To investigate, we surveyed 500 university students in India who plan to emigrate. Our findings confirm the pervasiveness of a reliance on informal migrant networks among future migrants in India, but also reveal how there is a discrepancy between the expected use of formal information sources, and the actual use of these sources. We conclude that the knowledge transfer of migration information is problematic, and we challenge the mainstream account of migrant social capital as a resource that minimizes the costs and risks of migration. Some policy suggestions are provided.