Exploring the Mental Health Challenges of Black Economic Immigrants in Canada's Post-Pandemic Job Market

Background: Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery significantly relies on immigration as a strategy to address labor shortages. However, systemic inequities persistently disadvantage Black economic immigrants, as evidenced by disproportionately high unemployment rates, lower incomes, and precarious employment conditions compared to their non-Black counterparts, despite equivalent education and qualifications. The literature consistently underscores racial discrimination, xenophobia, and linguistic bias as central factors that diminish the intended economic advantages of immigration for this demographic.

Methods: This qualitative study employs Narrative Inquiry (NI) to explore the intersection of socio-political factors, employment experiences, and mental health among Black immigrants. Using purposive and snowball sampling strategies, virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 Black economic immigrants across Canada, representing diverse nationalities and professional backgrounds. Data collection integrated photo elicitation to deepen narrative richness, allowing participants to visually articulate their experiences and associated mental health implications. Interviews were fully transcribed, analyzed using thematic analysis to identify significant patterns and meanings within participants' stories, and contextualized within broader socio-political frameworks.

Results: The thematic analysis identified four critical themes. First, participants faced profound unmet expectations related to their employment in Canada, including challenges in securing appropriate jobs and adequate financial remuneration, markedly different from their initial aspirations. Second, experiences of racism, discrimination, and xenophobia emerged as central to mental health deterioration, significantly affecting participants' workplace experiences and self-esteem. Third, substantial prevalence of mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD were reported, closely associated with employment insecurities and financial hardships exacerbated by the pandemic. Lastly, coping mechanisms prominently featured reliance on community networks, friendships, and advocacy for spaces allowing open emotional expression and dialogue about mental health struggles.

Conclusion: This study underscores the critical need to recognize and address structural barriers affecting Black economic immigrants in Canada's labor market. Effective strategies must encompass targeted policy reforms and culturally appropriate therapeutic interventions aimed at fostering equitable economic integration and improving mental health outcomes for this population. These findings advocate for meaningful structural and individual-level changes that can positively transform both the employment trajectories and mental health experiences of Black economic immigrants.