Immigrant workers in the immigrant service sector: segmentation and career mobility in Canada and Germany

Abstract

The immigrant service sector in Canada is organized and structured differently than it is in Germany. In Canada, a firmly established immigrant service sector exists; in Germany many immigrant services are delivered by charitable and migrant organizations. In this paper, we explore a knowledge gap in the way these differences and pressures to cut costs affect the incorporation of immigrant workers in the immigrant service sector, the roles as works they perform in this sector, and how their career trajectories unfold. Our overarching thesis is that immigrants in Canada and Germany are playing key but variable roles in delivering support to other immigrants. We examine this thesis by drawing on interview data collected from key informants, which we complement with academic and gray literature. While immigrants are disproportionately employed in front-line work due to their skills, experiences, and cultural capital, their chances for career upward mobility are limited. Despite different systems for immigrant service delivery in Canada and Germany, there are striking structural similarities in both countries regarding labor segmentation.

Keywords:

• migrant services
• migrant organization
• integration
• labor segmentation
• immigrant workers
• Canada
• Germany

Notes

1. The way we apply this term includes “migrant self-help organizations” (Migrantenselbsthilfeorganisationen).