Almost six out of 10 Irish-based Chinese people surveyed for a new study reported an income of less than €14,000 a year. Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, Migration Correspondent, reports.
Presenting initial findings of research on migrant groups, due to be published later this year, Dr Alice Feldman, co-director of UCD's Citizenship Research Initiative, said substantial sacrifices in quality of life were being made as part of the migration process.
Dr Feldman was speaking yesterday at a seminar on the Chinese community.
Whereas Chinese young professionals had greater social mobility and tended to work in diverse, supportive settings, students tended to take low-paid part-time work in conditions that were ripe for exploitation, she said. "Interviewees discussed that they don't feel they can speak out against low pay or poor treatment, either because they could lose the job or endanger others' jobs," Dr Feldman said.
The study analysed the experiences of four migrant communities in Ireland: Chinese, Nigerians, Indians and Lithuanians. While 60 per cent of Chinese respondents reported feeling safe where they live, 30 per cent reported being victims of crime - compared with about 10 per cent across the other three communities. "As is common in any society, Chinese migrants have experienced the full spectrum of responses from Irish society - from enthusiastic interest to xenophobia, to racism and discrimination," Dr Feldman said.
"Several interviewees described the everyday experience of having to basically run the gauntlet through the neighbourhoods in which they live, experiencing name-calling, abuse and stone-throwing when they went to and from their homes.
"As a result, some reported that they avoided going out and about at night," she added.
The survey found high levels of interest among the Chinese in interacting with Irish people, even though many felt there was a lack of opportunities to do so.
Yesterday's seminar, which was opened by Minister of State for Integration Conor Lenihan, was hosted by the Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival and the Association of Chinese Professionals in Ireland.