Voices of Immigrants
Yeung Ching Shan
Interview with Yeung Ching Shan (Yami) July, 2024
Name: Ching Shan Yeung
Age: 34
Where are you originally from?
Hong Kong
How long have you been in Canada?
I have been in Canada in total for about 5-6 years. I left for 6 months due to my visa expiring but I came back in 2019 once I was able to get a new visa. I was able to get a closed work permit with the Sundial hotel.
What brought you to Canada?
Well snowboarding initially, but I just didn’t want to stay at home in Hong Kong.
Was Canada what you expected?
No – I thought Canada would have been fast paced and efficient like Hong Kong. Everything seemed a bit slow, but it did reach my expectations with snowboarding and nature here.
What help did you receive when you originally came to Canada?
When I first came here, I was on a working holiday visa for 1 year. I had no help with this. But when I was trying to come back to Canada, I had help from the hotel with my closed visa. They helped me with flight information, accommodation and let me know what documents I needed.
What has been most challenging and what has been the best?
The most challenging thing here was trying to get my permanent residency. I had to do a job I didn’t like. So, I decided it was not worth it, so I didn’t go ahead with it that time. Then a hotel was going to sponsor me and then they didn’t. It was a lot of work but the 2nd time I got my residency.
The best thing about being in Canada is the lifestyle, nature and work life balance. I feel less judgement about how I live my life here. Back in Hong Kong there is a judgement of where I should be in life professionally and personally and how I should look.
Do you think immigration is important in our community? Why, what does immigration bring to the community?
Yes – Because I am an immigrant. Canada is huge, they need a variety of skills. This can also then educate and create awareness of diversity, their skills and different perspectives.
Do you feel you live in an inclusive society, and you have equal access to opportunities around you?
No – Maybe it is because of the language barrier. People know my first language isn’t English and they don’t want to give me opportunities. Some people just think I can’t speak English. When I was working at a restaurant, I was taking a customer’s order, and they said to me that they couldn’t understand my Japanese accent… I am not Japanese.
In the work place it is hard because in my culture we do not really have small talk, so I think people may perceive me as being rude when I would just get to the point.
How can we-both as individuals and as a community-do something about harmful biases, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination to make our communities more inclusive?
Cultural sharing events!
People want to speak up, we are more than just housekeepers or servers.
We just need a conversation, maybe some workshops where people can just go and listen too, with no pressure!
I think I should speak up when it happens to me, but it has happened so much I just don’t react to it, I think I need to change and speak up, but I am just used to being stereotyped.