BECOMING AN IMMIGRANT WORKER: LEARNING IN EVERYDAY LIFE

This paper will examine the learning process of becoming an immigrant worker in Canada during current neo-liberal restructuring. We view learning as a complex process whereby individuals, embedded in social networks, develop a political analysis of their situation while they develop strategies of response. Our research is grounded in the work of our partner organization, the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC), a support centre for workers. The paper reviews some of the political and economic forces that place immigrant workers at the bottom of the labour market in Canada. Study participants reflect these general trends. Our analysis draws on participants' interviews and examines their experiences of leaving countries of origin, settling in Canada, and finding work. We conclude with a discussion linking these experiences with wider global forces.