Definition

Noun: A group or category of recent immigrants who are collectively perceived or treated as a single social class, primarily defined by their shared low socioeconomic status, despite having diverse cultural backgrounds.

Usage

The term is used in sociological and demographic contexts to describe the social grouping and economic circumstances often assigned to new arrivals in a host country. - The study examined the challenges faced by the immigrant class, focusing on employment and housing. - Policies should address the needs of individuals, not just treat everyone as part of a monolithic immigrant class.

Advanced Usage

• Conceptual Use: The term often critiques the oversimplification of grouping diverse immigrant populations under a single label based solely on economic factors.
  • The author argues that the concept of an immigrant class obscures more nuanced ethnic and educational differences.

Variants and Related Words

• Immigrant (n): A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.
• Socioeconomic status (n): An individual's or group's position within a hierarchical social structure, based on a combination of economic and social factors.

Synonyms

• Newcomer group (n): A more neutral term for a collection of recent arrivals.
• Migrant underclass (n): A term with similar economic connotations but potentially broader application to non-permanent migrants.

Related Phrases

• Lumped together: To be grouped or categorized collectively, often in a simplistic or indiscriminate way.
  • The report warned against lumping together all recent arrivals, as their needs differ greatly.

Noun

1. recent immigrants who are lumped together as a class by their low socioeconomic status in spite of different cultural backgrounds