The Use of Human Capital and Limitations of Social Capital in Advancing Economic Security among Immigrant Women Living in Central Alberta, Canada

Choon-Lee Chai,Kayla Ueland,Tabitha Phiri

doi:10.3390/socsci7110220

Abstract

In this research, the challenges of using human capital and the effectiveness of social capital as an alternative resource used by immigrant women from non-English-speaking countries living in Central Alberta for them to attain economic security are studied. Evidence indicates heavy use of bonding social capital by immigrant women—primarily through family, ethnic, and religious networks—as a “survival” resource at the initial stage of settlement. The bonding social capital is relatively easy to access; nevertheless, in the case of visible minority immigrant women living in Central Alberta, bonding social capital has limited capacity in helping them to obtain economic security because their family and friends themselves often lack economic resources. As a result, these immigrant women are expected to compete in the labor market using their human capital to obtain higher-paying jobs. The challenge among immigrant women remains in seeking recognition of non-Canadian credentials, and/or successful acquisition and deployment of Canadian credentials in the primary labor market.

Highlights

Social capital is a form of resource rooted in network relationships
In 2012, CAIWA was approved to receive a grant from the Status of Women Canada to implement a three-year project (March 2012 to February 2015) that will build a community plan to help the economic security of immigrant women in Central Alberta
Narratives of immigrant women are weaved to demonstrate challenges faced by them in trying to deploy their human capitals, the failing of which, leads to the entrapment of these women in low paying jobs. This is followed by the analysis of the use of social capital, which as evidenced, is primarily a secondary capital for many of these immigrant women

Summary

Introduction

Social capital is a form of resource rooted in network relationships. As a concept, it has garnered interest in Canadian policy circles (Policy Research Initiative 2005; Frank 2003) and been incorporated as one of the four resources for well-being by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2017). According to Scrivens and Smith (2013), the value of social capital from a policy perspective is based on the idea that social relationships of trust and reciprocity have productive value in term of the production of a broad range of well-being outcomes in society. According to Li (2004), the use of social capital is contingent upon the availability of class-based resources within a social community; and as argued by Tanasescu and Smart (2010), social capital cannot replace sound housing policy to meet housing needs of immigrants. Bezanson (2006) cautions that the discourse of social capital ignores the gender-bias against women, and is in tandem with the neo-liberal policy of social funding cuts

Methods

Results

Conclusion