Employment Experiences, Precarity, and Belonging of Immigrant Youth in Halifax

Employment is a crucial part of the integration of immigrants and young people ages (18- 30) are an integral part of the migrant population as they account for more than 50% of the total immigrant population in Canada. Given the tendency to separate social and economic integration within the literature, this thesis interrogates the relationship between employment and a sense of belonging in / to Nova Scotia. Within a qualitative approach with individual interviews, this research explores employment conditions and workplace dynamics and the extent to which these are seen as fostering or limiting a sense of belonging. The concepts of precarious employment, social capital, emotional labor, and solidarity are used to analyze the research data to better understand the complexities of the experiences of the youth participants. The findings from this study reveal that work and workplaces are essential sites where immigrants could develop a feeling of inclusion and acceptance that facilitate their participation in the community. However, precarious labour conditions, unfair treatment, and the resulting emotional labour often stifle this possibility for many immigrant youths.