Finding a place to live in Salmon Arm can be tough for anyone, given today香蕉视频直播檚 housing shortages, but it appears particularly difficult for new immigrants. 

Shuswap Immigrant Services Society has seen how newcomers are struggling to find a home, explained Brianne McFarlane, community outreach coordinator. The society recently created a poster saying it is supporting employed newcomers looking for housing.

香蕉视频直播淪earching for emergency, temporary and long-term options within Salmon Arm and surrounding areas,香蕉视频直播� it reads. 香蕉视频直播淚f you have any types of accommodation available, please consider contacting us.香蕉视频直播�

McFarlane said it would be ideal to have a list of people who might have available accommodation, so staff could just check in and see if there香蕉视频直播檚 something that fits a particular client who香蕉视频直播檚 searching.

香蕉视频直播淚 would say this month we have probably five people looking, all with different scenarios and situations. There are quite a few people who are in housing that isn香蕉视频直播檛 ideal,香蕉视频直播� she added.

Some people who have places to rent might be afraid to publicize them because they could find themselves overwhelmed by responses, she surmised.

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McFarlane said there may be several other reasons for difficulties. One of the most active places where people are posting rentals seems to be a private Facebook page, she said. The feedback the society has received is that some newcomers haven香蕉视频直播檛 been accepted into the group, perhaps because there may be discrimination going on.

Or people with rentals may be leery of scams. When new immigrants come here, they often don香蕉视频直播檛 have a Canadian phone number, she explained. Instead, perhaps a WhatsApp contact. So it can be difficult to converse back and forth. Also people renting like to receive references, which newcomers might not have.

For the newcomers, although they would like to be looking for housing before they arrive, they, too, are leery of scams, she pointed out. Some have been scammed when they香蕉视频直播檝e made an international money transfer to secure a place.

Although more housing seems to be available in Tappen and Blind Bay, transportation can be a problem. Because new immigrants often don香蕉视频直播檛 immediately get cars, they try to find accommodation that香蕉视频直播檚 central. Many work in the hospital, McFarlane said, night shifts or early morning, and the buses don香蕉视频直播檛 run then.

The last piece, she noted, is that for most new immigrants, English isn香蕉视频直播檛 their first language. So they香蕉视频直播檙e trying to understand Canadian customs around renting.

香蕉视频直播淚magine trying to navigate ads, phone calls and messages, when English isn香蕉视频直播檛 your first language. It香蕉视频直播檚 difficult. And trying to find something affordable.香蕉视频直播�

Shuswap Immigrant Services Society also supports clients who, unfortunately, are in a precarious situation because of their immigration status.

McFarlane explains they come to the Shuswap on a closed permit so they are essentially tied to one employer. They are not allowed to work for anyone else. They will come to the area for two years, for instance, to work certain hours at a certain wage.

Because of the power dynamic in that kind of situation, she said, there is opportunity for abuse. Sometimes newcomers are given housing with their employment.

香蕉视频直播淚n some cases it香蕉视频直播檚 really great and really helps,香蕉视频直播� she noted.

However, if housing is tied to the employee doing something beyond the scope of the contract or something dangerous, the worker may be forced to leave their job or housing. Yet then they香蕉视频直播檙e not able to get another job.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 definitely the dark side of the temporary foreign worker program,香蕉视频直播� said McFarlane. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of them are so grateful (to be here working); we really need them and they need us.香蕉视频直播�

Even if a newcomer just needs a room overnight, often a credit card is needed, which they might not have.

香蕉视频直播淪ometimes it香蕉视频直播檚 folks with kids, sometimes it香蕉视频直播檚 single people, sometimes it香蕉视频直播檚 for varying lengths of time.香蕉视频直播�

If you have accommodation, short- or long-term, you香蕉视频直播檙e invited to contact Brianne at the Shuswap Immigrant Services Society at outreach@sissociety.ca or by calling 250-804-2726.

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