Immigration and its impact on daily occupations: a scoping review

Abstract

Immigrants often adopt new and unfamiliar occupations in an attempt to adapt to their new culture. Occupations provide a means for participation in the host country and play a significant role in formulating a person's identity. This scoping review sought to identify the current knowledge on immigration and its impact on occupations. A scoping review for peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2010 in English or French was completed. Thirty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. Four themes were identified: 1) role change; 2) work; 3) identity; and 4) health and well-being. Limitations include the lack of a consistent definition of occupation, research primarily being conducted in the North American context and the limited number of occupational therapy based articles. Future research should focus on a systematic review of the lived experiences of immigrants and their occupational contexts, and how this can inform policy development.