Abstract
Although resettlement allows for refugees to live in a safer place, there are many issues that accompany this drastic life change. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine the literature on the life experiences of refugees in Canada to identify the challenges that they face and their unmet needs, as well as potential sources of support. Five databases were systematically searched for articles published in the last decade that included data on the life experience of refugees in Canada. Findings were analysed in depth to generate emergent themes and synthesize common findings across studies. The review found 26 articles on the life experiences of refugees, 23 of which were qualitative studies, as well as 1 quantitative and 2 mixed methods studies. The main challenges experienced by refugees included loss or change in identity, gender role conflicts, language barriers, lack of recognition of previous education or experience, and perceived lack of support and discrimination. This comprehensive review highlights the unmet needs and complex barriers that are experienced by refugees in Canada and directs attention to priorities for future research. Differences in language, culture, and social support lead to challenges in integration and accessing services among refugees in Canada, which may have potential policy implications.
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We are grateful to Paola Durando, Queen’s University Health Sciences Librarian, for her help in developing the search strategy and obtaining relevant articles.
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Ghahari, S., Lui, J., Nagra, S. et al. The Life Experiences of Refugees in Canada: A Comprehensive Scoping Review to Identify Unmet Needs and Barriers. Int. Migration & Integration 21, 1249–1261 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-019-00727-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-019-00727-3