Challenges for Second Generation Immigrants Essay Sample

There are important differences between first- and second-generation immigrants. Both have challenges and advantages in their own way. The difference between these two are that first-generation immigrants are foreign-born and non-native in the country they now live in. Second generation immigrants are children of immigrants but born in the country they immigrated to. I’m going to be writing more about the challenges second generation immigrants face, why they have those challenges and what we might do to solve them.

There are different aspects of multiculturalism. We have some like assimilation which is the process of learning the different basic habits in the country and getting to know the culture. This is one of the things that second generation immigrants have an advantage over because they get influenced by the society, school, friends et. And grow up with, instead of getting it thrown of them while their older in age. We also have segregation and integration but also the cultural iceberg that second generation immigrants are less effected by then first-generation immigrants. Culture differences they have from home 

Second generation immigrants face different challenges either way even though they may have lived in the country their whole life. Firstly, things like finding a job, fitting into the society, lack of language skills, housing and prejudice are a problem. This undoubtedly depends on where the parents immigrated from and what kind of immigrants they are. The three types of immigrations there’s most from are family-based-, employment-based- and humanitarian immigrations.

Finding a job for immigrants is starting to become less of a problem. A study from ec Europa says that “The few second-generation immigrants who face one of the four migration-specific obstacles are concentrated in the core-working age group (aged 25-54). Similarly with first-generation immigrants, mainly younger (aged 15-24) and older workers (aged 55-64) among second-generation immigrants face no particular obstacle.” Source: Eurostat, LFS 2014 ad hoc module. This definitely shows progress of work opportunities for everyone from age 15-64 and that last names matter less in the work field. Lack of language skill can be a problem where getting a job becomes hard, but most countries do have language courses anyone can take so this problem is slowly disappearing. This is also where housing comes in. If the parents (first generation immigrants) have badly paid jobs the children (second generation immigrants) get affected. 

Prejudice and not feeling like you fit into any society is something more of the second-generation immigrant’s face. The feeling of not belonging to any of the cultures and on top getting judgment or unfair opinions thrown at them because of their immigrated background. A recent example is Asian hate after the covid-19 virus spread all over the world. This became a big and unnecessary problem where in some places violence took place. People of colour are more likely to be exposed to prejudice than immigrants that are white. 

There are different reasons for these challenges, but they can be everything from poor help from caregiver/parent to a racist/disapproval/unwanting society. Also bulling from young age can affect these problems later on.

Above all educating and education is a good start for solving these problems. Also getting rid of fake news. It’s a team effort everyone needs to participate in for it to work. Standing up for each other and helping even though it’s a “small” thing like someone saying racial slurs to someone or corrupt court cases if possible. Along with learning people not to put people in groups or segregate them but see everyone as a human being, because in the end that’s all we are. The same.