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Refugee Settlement in New Brunswick

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Abstract

Refugees who try to settle in sparsely populated areas often leave these areas for major metropolitan areas within a few years of arrival in Canada. The refugees often feel discouraged by the lack of satisfactory employment possibilities. If refugees settle in a rural area longer than 2 years, however, they are likely to remain there long-term (Carter et. al., International Journal of Migration and Integration 9:161-183, 2008; Donato et al., Rural Sociology 72:537-559, 2007; Fonseca, Population, Space and Place 14:525-535, 2008; Hugo, Population, Space and Place 14:553-571, 2008; Krahn et al., International Migration Review 39:872-894, 2005). For New Brunswick, this statistic is particularly important. New Brunswick is the only province in Canada with a declining population, and this demographic situation deeply worries the provincial government (Government of New Brunswick 2014). The province of New Brunswick sees refugee reception as a way to grow the population. However, the province suffers from high unemployment rates, which brings the issue of refugee retention into sharp focus for the region. This paper investigates the extent to which refugee experiences of settlement in New Brunswick correspond with evidence about the barriers and opportunities found in research regarding immigration settlement in rural communities and welcoming communities in other areas of the country. It then details the evidence collected from 40 refugee respondents in New Brunswick through semi-structured interviews (in Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John) and one focus group (in Fredericton). The respondents identified several key systematic problems that impeded their settlement in the province, as well as suggested solutions to these problems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of History and Politics, University of New Brunswick Saint John, 100 Tucker Park Rd. 5050, Saint John, NB, E2L 4L5, Canada

    Mikael Hellstrom

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  1. Mikael Hellstrom
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Correspondence to Mikael Hellstrom.

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Appendix. Service user interview guide

Appendix. Service user interview guide

  1. 1.

    What were your employment expectations before coming to Canada?

  2. 2.

    Do the service providers understand your skills and professional strengths?

  3. 3.

    What support are you being offered?

  4. 4.

    What expectations did you have going in to the services?

    1. a.

      Were they met?

  5. 5.

    What services are most helpful to you?

  6. 6.

    Do the service providers understand your needs?

    1. a.

      If yes—how is that shown?

    2. b.

      If no—what needs are not addressed? And why?

    3. c.

      Is there a difference in communication/understanding with immigrant service workers or the native born?

  7. 7.

    How much control do you have over course content/delivery? How?

  8. 8.

    Is there any change or improvement you would like to see within the service to better respond to immigrant needs and/or the concerns expressed by immigrants?

  9. 9.

    Have you had an opportunity to provide feedback on the services?

    1. a.

      If yes: Can you think of a time when the provider took your feedback and did something to improve the services?

    2. b.

      Can you think of an event when you could provide feedback?

    3. c.

      Can you think of an event when your feedback was not used?

  10. 10.

    Do other organizations (employers/government agencies) show any interest for the results/achievements of the employment services?

    1. a.

      How is this interest expressed?

  11. 11.

    Do you know what the newcomer community feels about the newcomer services? Are there opportunities to address needs that are not addressed by current services?

  12. 12.

    How have your experiences with the settlement services impacted the way you feel about settling in New Brunswick?

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Hellstrom, M. Refugee Settlement in New Brunswick. Int. Migration & Integration 21, 21–39 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-019-00675-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-019-00675-y

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