DIVIDED DIASPORAS Southern Africans in Canada SPECIAL REPORT DIVIDED DIASPORAS Southern Africans in Canada SPECIAL REPORT Jonathan Crush, Abel Chikanda, Wade Pendleton, Mary Caesar, Sujata Ramachandran, Cassandra Eberhardt and Ashley Hill Copyright © 2013 by Jonathan Crush, Abel Chikanda, Wade Pendleton, Mary Caesar, Sujata Ramachandran, Cassandra Eberhardt and Ashley Hill. Published by The Centre for International Governance Innovation and the Southern African Migration Programme. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Centre for International Governance Innovation or its Operating Board of Directors or International Board of Governors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution — Non-commercial — No Derivatives License. To view this license, visit (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/3.0/). For re-use or distribution, please include this copyright notice. Care has been taken to trace ownership of copyright material contained in this report. The publisher will gladly receive any information that will enable them to rectify any reference or credit line in subsequent editions. Jonathan Crush is a professor and the CIGI Chair in Global Migration and Development at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. The research presented in this publication was carried out with the financial assistance of Canada’s International Development Research Centre. 57 Erb Street West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6C2 Canada tel +1 519 885 2444 fax + 1 519 885 5450 www.cigionline.org 152 Albert Street Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Fax: +1 613 533 2171 www.queensu.ca 6 Spin Street Church Square Cape Town Tel: +27 (0) 21 461 2559 Fax: +27 (0) 21 461 2589 Cover and page design by Steve Cross. TABLE OF CONTENTS iv List of Tables and Figures 55 Chapter 5: Disengaged Diaspora: South Africans in Canada 55 Withdrawing from South Africa vi Acronyms 55 Profile of a Disengaged Diaspora vii About the Authors 58 Reasons for Leaving South Africa 59 Comparing Canada and South Africa 1 Executive Summary 61 Family Ties 61 Remitting Behaviour 7 Chapter 1: Diasporas and Development 63 Return Migration 7 Brain Drain or Diaspora Engagement? 64 The Committed Minority 9 Defining Diasporas 65 Identification with South Africa 10 Diaspora Remittances 65 Links with South Africa 13 Diaspora Entrepreneurs 67 Return Migration 15 Diaspora Philanthropists 18 Diaspora Knowledge Networks 69 Chapter 6: Diaspora Organizations In Development 20 Diaspora Associations 69 Engaging Collectively 20 Diaspora Return Migration 69 Typology of Organizations and Associations 73 Development Initiatives 23 Chapter 2: Out of Africa 78 Promoting and Impeding Engagement 23 Migration from Southern Africa 25 SADC Immigration to Canada 83 Chapter 7: Conclusion 26 Types of Immigrants 85 Acknowledgements 31 Citizenship 31 Temporary Migration to Canada 87 Works Cited 33 Spatial Location of Immigrants in Canada 99 About CIGI 37 Chapter 3: Diasporas on the Web: Study Methodology 37 Locating Diasporas 99 About SAMP 37 Developing the Instrument 99 CIGI Masthead 38 Inviting Diasporas 40 Interviewing Organizations 43 Chapter 4: Engaged Diaspora: Southern Africans In Canada 43 Dividing the Diasporas 45 Profile of an Engaged Diaspora 47 Ties That Bind 49 Remitting Behaviour 50 Diasporas in Development 51 Return Migration DIVIDED DIASPORAS: SOUTHERN AFRICANS IN CANADA LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES 10 Table 1.1: Diaspora Engagement Activities in Countries of Origin 30 Figure 2.6: Refugees from SADC in Canada, 1980–2009 11 Table 1.2: Remittance Motivation and Use 30 Figure 2.7: DRC Refugees to Canada, 1980–2009 11 Table 1.3: Key Impacts of Remittances on Poverty at Different Levels 31 Figure 2.8: Zimbabwean Refugees to Canada, 1980–2009 12 Table 1.4: Remitting Patterns from Canada 32 Table 2.5: Citizenship Status of SADC-Born Persons in Canada, 2006 12 Figure 1.1: Proportion of Immigrants in Canada who Remit to 32 Figure 2.9: SADC Temporary Workers to Canada, 1980–2009 Country of Origin 33 Table 2.6: Temporary Migration from SADC to Canada, 2001–2006 13 Figure 1.2: Average Amount Remitted by Immigrants in Canada 35 Figure 2.10: SADC Students in Canada, 1980–2009 14 Figure 1.3: Levels of Commitment to Diaspora Entrepreneurship 35 Table 2.7: Location of SADC Immigrant Population in Canada, 2006 16 Table 1.5: Diaspora Investment Models Census 17 Table 1.6: Diaspora Philanthropy Matrix 36 Table 2.8: Permanent Residents from SADC Countries by Province and Major Urban Areas, 1980–2009 19 Table 1.7: Typology of DKNs 39 Table 3.1: Facebook Presence of SADC Diaspora in Canada 19 Figure 1.4: Number of Diaspora Knowledge Networks 40 Figure 3.1: Online Recruitment of Southern Africans in Canada 20 Table 1.8: Breakdown of Diaspora Knowledge Networks by Region 41 Table 3.2: Total Survey Respondents 21 Figure 1.5: Activities of Diaspora Business Associations 44 Table 4.1: Year of Migration to Canada 23 Table 2.1: Top 10 Destination Countries for SADC Emigrants, Circa 2000 44 Table 4.2: Official Category of Entry of Respondents 24 Table 2.2: Emigration Potential of Professionals and Students in 44 Table 4.3: Main Reasons for Moving to Canada Southern Africa 45 Figure 4.1: Income Profile of Respondents 24 Figure 2.1: Total Migration from Southern Africa to Canada, 1980–2009 46 Table 4.4: Current Immigration Status 25 Table 2.3: Changes in the Number of Southern African Immigrants in 46 Table 4.5: Demographic Profile of Other Southern African Migrants Canada, 1991–2006 46 Table 4.6: Level of Educational Attainment 26 Table 2.4: Southern African Migrant Population of Canada, 2006 47 Table 4.7: Current Job/Occupation 27 Figure 2.2: Type of Migration from Southern Africa to Canada, 1980–2009 48 Figure 4.2: Family Ties to Country of Origin 27 Figure 2.3: Total Economic-Class Immigrants to Canada, 1980–2009 48 Table 4.8: Identification with Country of Origin 28 Figure 2.4: Economic-Class Immigration to Canada by Origin, 48 Table 4.9: Interest in Culture and Politics of Country of Origin 1980–2009 49 Table 4.10: Frequency of Remitting 29 Figure 2.5: SADC Family Class Immigration to Canada, 1980–2009 49 Table 4.11: Cash Remittances Sent Annually iv • THE CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE INNOVATION LIST OF TaBLES AND FIGURES 49 Table 4.12: Value of Goods Remitted Annually 65 Table 5.13: Frequency of Visits to South Africa 50 Table 4.13: Remittance Recipients 65 Table 5.14: South African Identity of Engaged and Disengaged Diaspora 50 Table 4.14: Use of Remittances 66 Table 5.15: Perceived Quality of Life in Canada versus South Africa 50 Table 4.15: Level of Participation in Economic Activities in Country of Origin 66 Table 5.16: Frequency of Remittances 51 Figure 4.3: Level of Interest in Development in Country of Origin 66 Table 5.17: Diaspora Engagement Activities (in the previous year) 51 Table 4.16: Interest in Participating in Specific Development Activities 66 Table 5.18: Likely Diaspora Engagement Activities (in the next two years) 53 Table 4.17: Perceptions of Life in Canada versus Country of Origin 67 Table 5.19: Preferred Diaspora Engagement Activities 55 Figure 5.1: South African Immigration to Canada, 1980–2009 68 Table 5.20: Likelihood of Returning to South Africa 56 Figure 5.2: Year of Immigration to Canada of Respondents, 1953–2009 70 Table 6.1: Participation in Activities of Diaspora Organizations 56 Table 5.1: Geographical Location of Respondents 72 Table 6.2: Research and Training Partnerships between Canadian and SADC Universities 57 Table 5.2: Demographic Profile of South African Respondents 73 Table 6.3: Online Diaspora Groups 57 Table 5.3: Educational Profile of South African Respondents 75 Table 6.4: Development Activities of Diaspora Organizations 58 Table 5.4: Current Job/Occupation in Canada 77 Table 6.5: Development Engagement of SADC Diaspora 58 Table 5.5: Income Profile of South African Respondents 79 Table 6.6: Factors Affecting Diaspora Engagement 59 Figure 5.3: Most Important Reason for Coming to Canada 60 Table 5.6: Perceived Quality of Life in Canada versus South Africa 60 Table 5.7: Immigration Status of South African Respondents 60 Table 5.8: Interest in South African Culture and Politics 61 Table 5.9: Asset Ownership in South Africa 61 Table 5.10: Asset Ownership Levels in South Africa, by Year of Migration to Canada 62 Figure 5.4: Volume of Remittances Sent to South Africa 62 Table 5.11: Use of Remittances 64 Figure 5.5: Consideration Given to Returning to South Africa 64 Figure 5.6: Annual Income of Engaged and Disengaged South Africans 65 Table 5.12: Main Reason for Moving to Canada SOUTHERN AFRICAN MIGRATION PROGRAMME • v DIVIDED DIASPORAS: SOUTHERN AFRICANS IN CANADA ACRONYMS OPCC Organisation des Professionels Congolais du Canada ADAC African Diaspora Association of Canada RAI Rural Action International AFFORD African Foundation for Development SADC Southern African Development AFSUN African Food Security Urban Network Community AU African Union SAJAC South African Jewish Association of Canada AUCC Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada SAMP Southern African Migration Programme BEE Black Economic Empowerment SANSA South African Network of Skills Abroad CAFSACK Canadian Friends of the South African SNSs social networking sites Chevrah Kadisha SSN Swaziland Solidarity Network CANCOSA Canadian Council for South Africans TANA Tanzanian Community Association of CIC Citizenship and Immigration Canada Northern Alberta CSAN Canadian Southern African Network TCA Tanzanian Canadian Association DKNs diaspora