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Immigrants known as "twice migrants" are those who arrive in Canada via an intermediate country, that is, not directly from their country of birth. With a focus on large contemporary immigrant groups in Canada--South Asians, Chinese and Filipinos in particular-this study develops socio--economic profiles of twice migrants and assesses their economic performance in comparison to that of direct migrants. The study uses custom tables of multiple national level datasets as well as qualitative interviews with a selected group of twice-migrant families to arrive at its findings. The results show that relative to direct migrants, twice migrants were older, more likely to speak a Canadian official language, slightly more educated and more skilled. These human capital characteristics did not however fully translate into economic success. Political and economic situations both in the country of birth and the country of last place of residence affect the flow of twice migration. Lack of job opportunities in Canada forced many twice migrant families to split between two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates if and how immigrants modify their domestic space to suit their ethno-cultural needs. Findings are based on an empirical study of the exterior and interior of Asian-Indian immigrant homes in Toronto. The study determines that Asian-Indian homeowners do not aspire to more adaptations than their mainstream counterparts. The majority of respondents in the sample made structural changes; however, the changes were made predominately to their homes' interiors. Physical manifestations of Asian-Indian ethnic expressions on the outside of homes were minimal. Internal changes were made to accommodate large social and religious gatherings and, in some cases, to house extended family. Except for the need for a prayer room, additional storage space, and adequate ventilation in the kitchen, the changes appear typical of the changes "mainstream Canadians" would make. The study recommends flexible house design that would allow easier adaptations to daily domestic needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]