Class identity and Filipino transnationalism: The Toronto-Tagbilaran connection (Ontario, Philippines)

The immigration experiences of Filipino migrants in Toronto create a very interesting context through which to view the formulation of class identities. Many "white-collar" immigrants arrive with high levels of human capital but then find themselves in "working class" employment in Canadian labour markets. Yet in Canada, a "de-professionalised" immigrant can still experience a material standard of living reserved for the elite in the Philippines. Moreover, remittances sent from Toronto bring social prestige and class mobility to families in source areas as well as the migrant who is "abroad". This project draws upon thirty-eight interviews conducted in Toronto and the Philippines to examine the question "How are class identities constructed and reworked in a transnational context?". It illustrates how international migrations provide multifaceted and contradictory spaces for identity formation that are situated within larger structures of global capitalism and colonial legacies.