Labour market perceptions and experiences among Ghanaian– Canadian second-generation youths in the Greater Toronto Area

Abstract

The study examines the perceptions and experiences of second-generation Ghanaian–Canadian immigrant youths in the Greater Toronto Area labour market and highlights some of the challenges they faced. Specifically, the study explores how some of these youths viewed and expressed their feelings in their process of navigating the labour market as well as the connections between their neighbourhood of residence and their performance in the labour market. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to procure empirical data from youths residing in two localities in the Greater Toronto Area. The participants most frequently identified unemployment or underemployment as the main issues that highlighted the differences between the two study localities and that there were differences between male and females in this respect. The findings indicate that the youths’ performance in the labour market was influenced by a multitude of factors, including inefficient transportation, discrimination, lack of information, and dress code. In addition, the findings shed light on how neighbourhood characteristics influenced employment outcomes.