Searching for a new home.
Immigrants from the former
Soviet Union in Washington State
Judit Molnár
Marie Curie Research Fellow
University of Glasgow, Central and East European Studies Bruges, September 2010
Structure of my presentation
• Model of the integration process of immigrants
• Immigrants from Russia/USSR
–
statistical data view
–
Immigrants from the former SU before 1990
• Our data
• Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State – Characteristics and resources of an immigrant group using
PUMS data analysis
– Characteristics and resources of an immigrant and a local resident group using questionnaire survey data analysis – Reception of the place of destination using questionnaire
survey data analysis
• Summary
Model of the integration process of immigrants
Adaptation to the new place
and society
Characteristics and resources of
immigrants
savings, education, social capital,
culture,
nationality, ethnicity,
religion, race, voluntary or forced immigrants,
legal or illegal immigrants, etc.
Characteristics and reception of
the place of destination
immigration policy and law,
level of discrimination, racism,
culture, economic structure and
opportunities, rural or urban area, micro-social environment, etc.
CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION
Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State until
1990s
Characteristics and resources of immigrants
(HARDWICK, S. W. 1993)
Russians have not been typical of other Euroamerican immigrant groups in
North America
Russian residential enclaves have been relatively slow to disperse through time – slow assimilation
They live and they tend to live in isolated enclaves
because of their
religion(Orthodox, Old Believers, Doukhobors, Molokans, Baptists, Pentacostals)
because of their experience at home (persecution,
discrimination, etc.)
Reception of the host country:
level of discrimination
(HARDWICK, S. W. 1993)
Russians have not been typical of other Euroamerican
immigrant groups in North America
Russian residential enclaves have been relatively slow to disperse through time – slow assimilation
They had to bear the burden of negative perception
because of Communism
because of the
perception that Russia is not truly European
CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION
Immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Washington State after 1990
Our data
• Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) 2000 and 2006-08
– Different dataset (the individual records were expanded the sample to the relevant total in 2000, but 2006-08)
– Different period of time – Using „rate views”
• Statistical analysis of semi-structured interviews (questionnaires)
– 105
(54 immigrants from the former SU and 51 local American residents)questionnaires from Washington State during the period from May 2009 to early 2010
– mainly from Vancouver, WA and the Greater Seattle area
• Qualitative interviewing
– to help with the design of the questionnaire (6)
– to complement the questionnaires’ data (8+4)
Immigrants from the former Soviet Union
in Washington State
CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS
PUMS data analysis
Distribution of the recent immigrants according to their years of enter
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
1924 1926 1928 1935 1937 1939 1941 1943 1945 1947 1949 1951 1953 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005
percent of the total who entered
2000 2006-08
source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2006-2008 ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files
Proportion of the immigrants who have US citizenship
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
2000 U.S. citizen by naturalization 2006-08 U.S. citizen by naturalization
source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2006-2008 ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files
Proportion of the émigrés who have a degree
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
percent
2000 has a degree older than 20 2006-08 has a degree older than 20
source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2006-2008 ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files
English ability indexes of the immigrants from the former Soviet Union
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
value of the index
2000 English ability 2006-08 English ability
source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2006-2008 ACS 3-year PUMS files and 2000 PUMS files
CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF IMMIGRANTS
Our survey’s results – Immigrants from the former Soviet Union
Characteristics of respondents: making decision about leaving their country
% Why did they leave
their home countries?
Unfavorable economic circumstances 25.9
Religious discrimination 22.2
Ethnic discrimination 31.5
Better economic situation in the USA 35.2 Better future for their children 38.9 Would they like to
return there? No 64.2
Yes 7.5
Maybe 28.3
Characteristics and resources of respondents:
age, education and English skill
Respondents
Age /mean 41.58
Age when they entered / mean 32.04
Good English when they entered % 35.2
Good English now % 68.5
Education: college or university degree % 53.7
They did study in the USA % 72.2
They studied at the university/college % 38.9 They studied in the language school % 25.9
Characteristics of respondents: year of their entry and find a job
Respondents
Year when they entered / mean 2000.2
Came directly to this area % 72.22
Months after they entered the US they found a job 8.58
Characteristics of respondents: attitude:
happiness and national identity
Respondents How happy they were/are (scale
1-5)
when they entered 3.63
and now 4.22
to live in Russia 3.43
Their national identity %
Russian 73.6
Russian American 3.8
No 7.5
Ukrainian 5.7
Proud of their nationalities %
very much 26.9
yes 31.5
not particulary 7.4
Not at all 11.1
Resources of respondents: social network
Respondents
% know people (relatives/friends) in the area before they came here 77.8
have friends now in the area where they live 66.7
live in the area where other Russian speaking people live 68.5
Their friends’
nationalities
Only Russians 11.1
Mainly Russian speaking people, few Americans 24.1 Russian speaking people and Americans mixed 11.1 Russian speaking people, Americans, other
Europeans and other nationalities mixed 27.8 Their closest friends’
nationalities Russian speaking people and / or Russian
Americans 70.4
Characteristics of respondents: attitude toward the host country
Respondents
%
General opinion about the USA The best 75.9
What they like the best in the USA
Lots of opportunity (economic, edu.) 29.6
Mentality of people 24.1
Freedom 20.4
High living standard 18.5
Environment 13
What they like the best in their home country
Relationship, friendship 29.6
Social life 22.2
Climate, landscape 14.8
Literature, culture 14.8
CHARACTERISTICS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION
Our survey’s results - Local American residents
Characteristics of the place of destinations:
social network of the local Americans
Respondents %
They have friends in their neighbourhood 84.3
Only Americans 11.8
Mainly Americans, few internationals 66.7
Where are their international friends from
Russia 21.6
UK 15.7
India 13.7
China 11.8
Africa 13.7
Japan 13.7
Mexico 15.7
Korea 9.8
Philippines 9.8
Closest friend’s nationality is American 78.4
Characteristics of the place of destination:
local Americans’ knowledge of the former SU and Russia
What do you know about Russia Respondents %
Communism 25.3
Governmental control 31.4
Society is toxic and chaotic 15.7
Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky and Medvedev 15.7
Natural resources 13.7
Where it is 17.6
Siberia, Baikal 17.6
Literature, culture 11.8
Fast growing economy 9.8
Russian maffia 5.9
CHARACTERISTICS AND RECEPTION OF THE PLACE OF DESTINATION
Our survey’s results – Immigrants from the former SU and local
Americans
Reception of the place of destination:
supporting émigrés
Immigrants from the former SU % Received help when they moved to the USA 66.7 Received help to settle down, financial support 50 Received help to settle down, information 40.7
Reception of the place of destination:
discrimination
scale 1: never – 4: very often Immigrants
from the former SU % discrimination because of their nationalities 1.4
uncomfortable feeling because they are foreign 2
feeling that they are not welcome because of their nationalities 1.8
disadvantages because of their English 2.6
Reception of the place of destination:
naturalization
Immigrants from the former SU %
Their citizenship Russian 38.3
American 44.7
Russian and American 10.6
Characteristics of respondents: attitude toward the host country
Immigrants from
the former SU % Local Americans % Why it is beneficial
living in the USA Good career and living standard ,
good opportunity 46.3 55.0
Learn English 18.5 9.8
Religious freedom 11.1 -
Independence 13 -
Education system 13 9.8
Refusing socialism, communism - 7.8
The greatest
challenges living in the USA
Language 61.1 51.0
Different custom 18.5 41.2
Hard to get the best position 18.5 -
Finding a job - 9.8
Reception of the place of destination:
opinion about the immigration policy
Statements:
Do you agree that
Local Americans (%) Immigrants from the former SU (%) Agree Disagree Agree Disagree the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who
have a high educational standard and are looking for a job in the USA? 51.0 11.8 75.9 7.5 the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who
have a high educational standard and have already found a job in the USA? 68.6 5.9 77.8 3.8 the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who
have a low educational standard and are looking for a job in the USA? 29.4 23.5 27.8 31.5 the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who
have a low educational standard and have already found a job in the USA? 51.0 11.8 37.0 14.9 the USA immigration policy should be more open for immigration of people who
have relatives living in the USA? 45.1 19.6 70.4 5.6
the USA immigration policy should treatimmigrants coming from different parts
of the world differently? 33.3 49.1 18.5 46.3
foreign people living in the US should learn/speak English very well? 49.1 9.8 77.7 0 an American citizen should have priority over a foreign citizen when applying
for a job in the USA? 31.3 29.4 29.6 42.6
Opinion about the immigration policy
Summary
•
The PUMS and our data suggest that the structures of the arrivals from the former SU’s countries have changed since 1990s
•
Immigration from these countries was selective (young and educated sectors of the population)
•
However, these immigrants experience difficulties at the beginning, and they have to work very hard. They might not be able to work in the same profession, but they are able to provide significant opportunities for their children without any considerable disadvantage in comparison with the host society’s families.
•
They receive very little or no discrimination or exclusion
•
Most of the local American residents have international friends, but their closest friends are American, and most of the immigrants’ closest friends are immigrants from their home countries
•
Local American residents rather would support immigrants with high educational standard than immigrants who have less education or/and have relatives in the US
•
Many local American residents think that an American citizen should have priority over a foreign citizen when applying for a job in the USA
•
