Purpose: Skilled immigrants from Mainland China are the largest skilled immigrant group in Toronto as well as in Canada (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2001). Current study documented the settlement experience of this group, including their experiences of accessing social services. However, little attention has been paid to how their settlement-related difficulties are related to or exacerbated by the underutilization of social services (cf. George, Tsang, Man & Da, 2000; Li, 2003). The study aimed to examine the ways in which Chinese skilled immigrants' socio-cultural-economic backgrounds (e.g. gender, family relationships, marital status, language, religion, age, educational background, and region/country of origin) intersect with inter- and intra-community dynamics in the Canadian context in relation to their experiences of service access.

Methods: Using a grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2001; Strauss & Corbin, 1998), the data collection of this study consisted of two stages. At the first stage, semi-constructed in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 skilled immigrants living in Canada for less than five years. At the second stage, individual interviews (n = 49) and four focus groups (n = 29) with Chinese skilled immigrants living in Canada for 4-10 years (consisting of both Chinese skilled immigrants and services providers) were conducted. “Older” immigrants who have been in Canada for more than three years are often neglected in research and service delivery, and thus deserve more attention (Omidvar & Richmond, 2003). All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim in original interview language (i.e., Chinese or English) for data analysis using NVivo.

Results: The study identified primary challenges facing Chinese skilled immigrants, such as initial settlement, professional employment, and care giving for children. Despite the availability of various social services in Toronto, this group reported low access to services. One of the inhibitors to their service use was most services providers in Chinese community in Toronto were Cantonese-speakers, whose linguistic and cultural backgrounds may be different from their clients from Mainland China. Instead of using institutional services, Chinese skilled immigrants tended to seek help from informal support network (e.g., family, friends, hometown associations, local churches, or electronic community). Moreover, the experiences of service access of this group also affected by the traditional gendered division of labour with families and the desired gender roles in the larger society.

Implications: This study suggested the diversity in Chinese cultures and the complex inhibitors to service use for Chinese skilled immigrants. This knowledge offers a more nuanced understanding of cultural competence, and can inform policy makers and service providers to develop more culturally competent and effective programs. Further, the results highlighted the urgency to address the employment-related challenges confronting Chinese skilled immigrants in particular, and recent highly skilled immigrants in general.