Credit Card Practices of Vietnamese and Laotian Newcomers to Canada: A 10-year Longitudinal Perspective

This is the first study to follow a group of refugees (N = 647) for 10 years to identify how they acquired and used credit cards, a novel product to them. Acculturation to Canadian credit card use occurred; there was a dramatic increase in having cards (from 4% to 77%). The main reason initially for not having a card was knowledge barriers; later on, attitudinal, such as preferring to pay cash. Variables accounting for credit card use after 4 and 10 years were: being employed with higher income, having a checking account, being married, younger, and more fluent in English. Changing from not having to having a credit card was fostered by remaining (or becoming) married, employed, and good in English.