The global debate on migration is evolving rapidly, and nowhere is this more evident than in North America, where the United States and Canada continue to experience high levels of immigration. Amid debates about borders, economic opportunity and social integration, the question of how migrants access information has become increasingly important.

Access to information is not just about logging on to the Internet or reading job postings: it is also about understanding the deeper, often invisible challenges that immigrants face when they settle in new countries. For African immigrants in particular, these barriers are amplified by layers of intersectional issues, from race and language to identity and social networks.

Millicent Mabi, a researcher who earned her doctorate at the University of British Columbia, Canada, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, United States, is at at the forefront of this conversation. Her work sheds critical light on how immigrants, particularly African immigrants to Canada, experience what she calls “information inequity.”

Through her research, Mabi challenges traditional frameworks of information poverty and offers a more nuanced perspective on the barriers skilled immigrants face in their job search and settlement processes.

In her recent article, “Questioning the Role of Information Poverty in Immigrant Employment Acquisition: Empirical Evidence from African Immigrants in Canada,” Millicent questions how access to information – or lack thereof – affects employment outcomes. employment of African immigrants in the Vancouver metropolitan area.

By reframing the problem from simple “information poverty” to that of “information inequity,” Mabi highlights how the intersection of race, immigration status, and identity complicates the immigrant experience of a way that existing frameworks fail to capture.

But why is it important beyond Canada? As the world grapples with the increasing movement of people across borders, Millicent’s findings provide invaluable lessons for policymakers, employers and institutions in North America, the United States and beyond. They highlight the structural challenges that African immigrants face, not only in accessing employment but also in navigating the broader social fabric of their new communities.

The changing information landscape after migration

For many African immigrants, the journey to North America is filled with optimism and high expectations. Most arrive with a good education, significant professional experience and the hope of better economic opportunities. Yet, as Millicent’s research shows, the reality they face is far from simple.

In Canada, African immigrants often find that their pre-existing information-seeking strategies, whether employment-related or otherwise, are no longer effective in their new environment. The post-migration information landscape is complex, filled with unfamiliar jargon, hidden job opportunities, and outdated or irrelevant information. A typical job offer, for example, may appear to demand higher-level responsibilities, only to have the immigrant later discover that it offers an entry-level salary. This disconnect results in missed opportunities and prolonged periods of underemployment.

Furthermore, as Millicent argues, the problem is not just access to technology or information. Many immigrants have access to the internet and mobile devices, but these tools are insufficient without the social networks and cultural understanding needed to make sense of the information available. The United States faces similar problems. As the country continues to attract skilled migrants from around the world, it becomes increasingly important to understand how their pre-existing information practices must adapt to a new and often opaque system.

The role of social capital in employment information

One of the key findings of Millicent’s research is the importance of social capital, defined as the connections, networks, and relationships that facilitate the exchange of information. For African immigrants, particularly those new to Canada or the United States, these networks are often weak or non-existent. Without strong social ties, immigrants struggle to access the most valuable forms of information, such as employment references or insider knowledge about employment sectors.

Relying on formal channels, such as job boards and online listings, does little to fill this gap. In fact, it often exacerbates the problem by overwhelming immigrants with large amounts of irrelevant or outdated information. As one participant in Millicent’s study pointed out, browsing Canadian job postings without any local contacts was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

This problem is not unique to Canada. In the United States, African immigrants often face similar obstacles, particularly in industries that emphasize networking and referrals over formal applications. The solution, as Millicent suggests, lies in creating more inclusive information ecosystems that recognize the importance of social capital in immigrant integration.

Intersectionality and access to information

One of the most revolutionary aspects of Millicent’s work involves intersectionality: the idea that multiple aspects of an individual’s identity (such as race, gender, immigration status) intersect. to shape their experiences in unique ways. Traditional frameworks for combating information poverty, which assume a universal approach to access to information, fail to take these intersecting factors into account.

For African immigrants, the intersection of race and immigration status presents unique challenges. In her research, Millicent found that black African immigrants often face discrimination in their job search, not only because of their foreign qualifications, but also because of their racial identity. Participants in his study reported instances where they were denied opportunities or faced skepticism about their skills, simply because of the way they looked or the way they spoke.

In the United States, where debates over race and immigration are more polarized than ever, Millicent’s findings offer a critical lens through which to examine these debates. Immigration policies and support systems must take into account that not all immigrants face the same barriers and that solutions must be tailored to address the specific challenges faced by racial minorities.

From information poverty to information equity

Perhaps the most significant contribution of Millicent’s research is her proposal to move from “information poverty” to “information equity.” The term “information poverty” implies that immigrants simply lack something, whether it is access to technology or the ability to navigate information systems. But as Millicent’s research shows, many African immigrants are not information poor in the traditional sense. They are educated, tech-savvy and have access to digital resources. The problem lies in the mismatch between the available information and the particular needs of immigrants.

Millicent’s concept of “informational equity” calls for a more nuanced approach that takes into account the diverse identities and experiences of immigrants. This approach recognizes that access to information is not just about technology: it is also about ensuring that the information provided is relevant, accessible and tailored to the specific challenges faced by different groups of people. immigrants.

Global implications for migration and integration

Millicent’s work, while focused on African immigrants to Canada, has far-reaching implications for migration and integration efforts in North America and beyond. As the United States continues to grapple with immigration reform, its findings offer valuable insights into how to support skilled immigrants who face barriers not because of their qualifications, but because of problems systemic issues related to access to information and social integration.

Policymakers, employers, and immigrant support services in Canada and the United States must recognize that information equity is crucial for successful immigrant integration. By addressing the unique challenges faced by African immigrants, we can begin to create more inclusive information systems that allow all immigrants to thrive in their new environments.

Millicent Mabi’s work, including her dissertation at the University of British Columbia, available in UBC’s Circle digital repository, continues to shine a light on these crucial questions. As we consider the future of global migration, his research provides an essential guide to creating more equitable and inclusive societies, in which all people, regardless of their background, have the tools they need to succeed.

Conclusion

The current global migration crisis requires more than just policy solutions. This requires a thorough understanding of how migrants access and use information in their new environment. Millicent Mabi’s groundbreaking work on information inequality offers a roadmap for how we can bridge the gap between the promise of migration and the reality of integration. For African immigrants, and indeed all immigrants, the road to success in North America is paved not only with opportunity, but also with equitable access to the information they need to navigate their new world .