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Immigration refers to the movement of foreigners into another country with an aim of permanent residence (Carrion 164). Immigrants choose to leave their home countries because of a number of reasons, including politics, family re-unification, poverty, natural disaster, or just a wish to live in new surroundings on a voluntary basis (Mooney 231). However, immigrants face a number of problems in the destination countries. Common problems that immigrants experience throughout the globe include language barriers; legal immigration problems; homesickness and alienation; assimilation and cultural barriers; racism; barriers to basic services such as health care; and under-employment, which depend on the level of education (Mooney 179). This research paper has considered four main problems that immigrants face and the coping strategies for each problem. The immigrant’s problems and solutions include language problems; cultural problems and culture shock; and alienation and homesickness.
Language problems
Language barrier is among the most common immigration problems that immigrants experience in the destination countries. Most immigrants decide to leave their countries of origin without bothering themselves in practicing on the language of the destination country (Ferguson and Shirley 270). This results in untold problems because it lowers the likelihood of getting employment opportunities and basic services, including education and healthcare. The inability immigrants to communicate become a significant barrier to achieving comfortable life. However, there are many solutions against language problems (Ferguson and Shirley 316).
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One of the solutions to language problems is to practice well on the language of the destination country before migration (Ferguson and Shirley 419). For instance, there are many institutions where a person can learn a Second Language, such as English, Spanish, French, or Germany depending on the destination country before leaving. A person can also acquire a language translation dictionary, which can be helpful in practicing on the Second Language of the host country. For instance, English to French dictionary or English to Spanish dictionary. It is crucial to buy books and software or enroll in language classes to learn the new language as soon as possible. An individual can also ally people who speak the language of the home country, at the same time the language of the foreign country, and ask them to give assistance in translations (Ferguson and Shirley 375). However, few immigrants fail to learn the language of the destination country and instead depend on their children to act as interpreters, which may be practicable for some people, but it is crucial to practice on the language earlier before leaving the home country.
Cultural Problems and Culture Shock
According to Nanda, Serena, and Warms (317), every new place or country has its own traditions and cultures. Most of the new immigrants face a problem of culture shock as they arrive in the foreign country of destination. Some immigrants also demand to retain the cultural practices of their home countries, as they are significant to them and enable them retain a close relationship with individuals in their home countries (Nanda, Serena, and Warms 321). The tendency to retain cultural practices results in problems with assimilation into the new country’s way of life because the immigrant has now become part of the new country. Neighbors in the country of destination may think of such people as odd. Cultural shock leads to problems for immigrant children, which will result in generational clashes between these children and their parents.
There are ways in which people cope with cultural problems and culture shock in the destination countries. Some solutions against this problem include learning the culture of the new country or place in order to adapt most of their traditions. It is necessary to share the cultural practices of the home country with other people in churches, during neighborhood gatherings, or at cultural events. Food has been the best starting point for sharing culture with other people in the new country (Nanda, Serena, and Warms 362). For instance, a person can cook a dish from his or her home country and take it to work parties or neighborhood to help other people learn about the culture of the person’s home country. This helps people maintain their ties to their home countries, educate other people so that they can accept and enjoy the diversity, and cultivate pride in their own cultures (Nanda, Serena, and Warms 376). Most people are ready to accept a new culture as long as they understand the culture well. Therefore, it is crucial so take some time and educate other people in the new country about the home culture in a positive manner. People should have an understanding that their children experience most exposure to different cultures and, hence, they should give them an opportunity to express themselves and at the same time teaching them, a sense of pride in their own cultures (Nanda, Serena, and Warms 231).
People get problems to acquire the permission to stay in a new country or place longer than the original request (Carrion 107). For instance, an immigrant entered the new country or place on a temporary visa that only entitles the immigrant to a six-month stay and he or she now wants to stay permanently. Immigrants also encounter problems with requesting the permission to perform activities, which the new country does not currently allow them to do such as employment. This is among the most common problems because the status of the immigrant, according to entry documents, just entitles him or her to accomplish certain tasks. The immigration authorities can hold an immigrant at the airport or in a detention centre. For instance, the immigration officer can detain an immigrant with legal immigration documents at an airport for some hours because of wanting to understand how the immigrant acquired the funds to fly in and out of a foreign country (Carrion 215). Therefore, the immigration officer may decide that the immigrant must be engaged in mistrustful activities.
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Other immigrants may experience problems by wanting a passport while not recognizing that they are entitled to a passport from their host country. Some immigrant may want to become citizens and change immigration status, which in most cases is not possible. Another legal problem that immigrants face is the fear of travelling to their home countries for family emergencies or holidays because the new country may not allow them back. Immigrants may have problems knowing whether they are entitled to enjoy state services or claim welfares, for instance, health services, education, social security benefits, council housing, council tax benefit, and housing benefits (Carrion 221). The solution to the legal problems is to look for an immigration lawyer.
Alienation and Homesickness
Most international students and immigrants experience the problem of alienation and homesickness. When the initial exhilaration of being in a foreign country diminishes, immigrants start missing the family and close friends that they left behind in the home country (Marx 174). This is a nature of human beings to desire going back to familiar places after some years of staying in foreign countries. International students and immigrants should adjust to staying comfortably in a new and strange environment. One of criteria of coping with the problem of homesickness is to communicate with close friends and family back home. Mobile phones and the Internet have now enabled immigrants and their families to communicate freely and cheaply, now and then. For the first few years, the immigrant should send messages and call the family and close friends back home on a regular basis. Staying in touch will keep the immigrants rooted and remind them that they always have people who love and care about them. The immigrants should look for people from their home countries and socialize with them. Some immigrants form Associations with other immigrants from their home countries (Marx 231).
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Immigration refers to the movement of foreigners into another country with an aim of permanent residence (Carrion 164). People choose to migrate to other countries irrespective of the problems that have a close association with immigration. Immigrants face a number of problems such as language problems, cultural problems and culture shock, and alienation and homesickness in the destination countries. People have put many solutions in place to help address immigration problems.