Labour Market Outcomes and Experiences of West African Immigrants to Canada: A Comparative Study of Toronto and Montreal

West African-born economic immigrants to Canada have a unique settlement experience. Coming from countries that were colonized by the British and the French, economic immigrants from these places were educated in the English and French languages--but as Sub Saharan African s, they are racialized as Black upon entry into Canada. This presents a quandary for a society that remains committed to its understanding of Black bodies and their capacity to contribute to an economy, or lack thereof. This mixed method study uses focus groups, semi-structured interviews and multiple linear regressions to better understand the labour market outcomes and experiences of West African immigrants to Canada. Through a theoretical framework inclusive of racial capitalism, transnationalism and postcolonial theory, this study situates the experiences of West African-born immigrants at a place of racial reckoning. The study’s findings indicate that the processes of racialization are further complicated by names, accents and credentials, all of which serve to further marginalize West African economic immigrants when compared to Black economic immigrants from elsewhere. The findings also reveal a fundamental issue of identity, where West Africans resist the categorization of Black in response to their lack of familiarity with ‘Black culture’.