Shifting to a new country and starting life over can be exciting and thrilling. However, it does come with several challenges. Most people shift to different countries to improve their standards of living, lifestyle, and future. While most people start their process and decide based on their visions and goals, refugees and people from war-torn countries do not have the option of migrating as they want.
If you have a choice and are thinking of shifting base, you should ask immigration solicitors in London about the challenges surrounding migration. They will also help you with the legalities, documentation, and paperwork required for the big move. It is helpful to have all the information beforehand to avoid unexpected surprises and difficulties later.
Let us look at the top problems faced by immigrants.
Language Barrier:
The biggest challenge faced by most immigrants from non-English speaking countries is the language. Since the first language is not English, it becomes challenging to adapt and adjust to a new country without fluency in the language. Most people wishing to shift start classes or tuitions for English before shifting.
English is necessary for official communication and critical for daily tasks at the grocery store, hailing a taxi, buying food, and much more. If you are shifting to a non-English speaking country (in Asia or Europe), you should start the language lessons immediately. Language barriers can be a significant issue in securing well-paying jobs too. If you are shifting to the middle east, you may need to learn Arabic, if you are planning a move to India, you may need to learn Hindi, and if your destination is Japan, you may need to learn Japanese.
Employment:
Most immigrants are eager to secure their first job and do not concentrate on finding quality work. However, this can be detrimental to future growth prospects. Moving up the ladder at a late date is extremely tough. While the language barrier is a concern, many immigrants still do not wait out for better opportunities.
Immigrants should start getting their education and work credentials recognized by local authorities to help secure employment. They should also sign on to the national job registry, apply for government jobs, and work in companies affiliated and recognized by the government. Once the credentials are verified, it becomes easier to find relevant job opportunities in the destination country.
Housing:
Finding adequate housing that fits in the monthly budget is another primary concern for immigrants. Many times the exchange rates and moving to a new country tend to cause financial difficulties. Apart from the rates, finding safe housing and not understanding how the housing markets work is another major issue.
It is tough to find safe, secure housing with low-paying jobs. However, this means that the family will have to live in less than savoury parts of the city, which may be unsafe. Large families prefer living together to split the cost of housing and stay in a safe locality. Apart from the safety concerns, the noisy and stressful living conditions also make it difficult for younger children to study or concentrate on schoolwork.
Transportation:
For most immigrants, public transport becomes a nightmare because they do not speak or read the local language well. It becomes very tough for them to access public transport, hail cabs, and ask for directions. Obtaining a driver’s license and purchasing a car are also tricky. A translator may be required for those who don’t speak English or the regional language (which costs extra). Getting a license may be difficult with the translator since road signs and directions are written in the local language.
Getting to work and back, dropping and picking children up from school, and many other tasks requiring transportation can become challenging for immigrants. Women often need to depend on others to help take them from one place to the next since they do not have the confidence to ask for help.
Medical Services:
In many countries, medical insurance and coverage are necessities. However, with low medical insurance comes low coverage. Many immigrants face this issue since they do not have access to full coverage plans. The reason for this is the higher premiums per annum. Also, the premiums and covers increase with the number of family members. The premium also increases if there are senior citizens, people with pre-existing medical conditions, or infants.
Not having access to reliable healthcare for fear of expenses is another concern that immigrants have to face. In some countries, refugees and undocumented immigrants do not get access to healthcare for many months.
