Research Library

Alberta has seen a significant increase in refugees in recent years, however, Immigrant and Refugee Board (IRB) hearings are backlogged and refugee claimants have limited access to services in the interim. AAISA is asking the Ministry of Labour to update Alberta Labour and Immigration’s strategic framework for newcomers, as well as increase funding for service provider organizations (SPOs) to provide services to refugees and refugee claimants. Alberta has seen a significant increase in refugees in recent years, however, Immigrant and Refugee Board (IRB) hearings are backlogged and refugee claimants have limited access to services in the interim. AAISA is asking the Ministry of Labour to update Alberta Labour and Immigration’s strategic framework for newcomers, as well as increase funding for service provider organizations (SPOs) to provide services to refugees and refugee claimants.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The article documents the settlement experiences of Syrian refugees in a major city in Alberta, Canada, in the first year of their resettlement. It then compares them across the three government and private sponsorship programs to understand which program is most effective in helping refugees settle and integrate in Canada. The findings suggest that all three programs were largely successful in bringing in Syrian refugees, from various asylum countries in the Middle East to safe places in Canada. However, the settlement experience of refugees varied after they arrived in Canada. Challenges in learning English and finding employment were paramount among all three refugee streams. Contrary to some academic literature, privately sponsored refugees faced resettlement challenges similar to their counterparts in the two other sponsorship streams. The article documents the settlement experiences of Syrian refugees in a major city in Alberta, Canada, in the first year of their resettlement. It then compares them across the three government and private sponsorship programs to understand which program is most effective in helping refugees settle and integrate in Canada. The findings suggest that all three programs were largely successful in bringing in Syrian refugees, from various asylum countries in the Middle East to safe places in Canada. However, the settlement experience of refugees varied after they arrived in Canada. Challenges in learning English and finding employment were paramount among all three refugee streams. Contrary to some academic literature, privately sponsored refugees faced resettlement challenges similar to their counterparts in the two other sponsorship streams.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This paper looks at how Canadian public schools present knowledge to students. This study finds that some teachers have biased knowledge and tend to racialize their students. They also tend to devalue the indigenous knowledges that immigrant youth bring to the classroom. They also reproduce anti-immigrant discourses and reinforced racial hierarchies in Canadian society. As a consequence, this affects how immigrant students identify themselves. It also negatively affects their sense of belonging in Canada. This article argues that Canadian schools need to create decolonized educational environments. This will change teacher’s interactions with immigrant students and eliminate the harm perpetuated by colonial discourses. This paper looks at how Canadian public schools present knowledge to students. This study finds that some teachers have biased knowledge and tend to racialize their students. They also tend to devalue the indigenous knowledges that immigrant youth bring to the classroom. They also reproduce anti-immigrant discourses and reinforced racial hierarchies in Canadian society. As a consequence, this affects how immigrant students identify themselves. It also negatively affects their sense of belonging in Canada. This article argues that Canadian schools need to create decolonized educational environments. This will change teacher’s interactions with immigrant students and eliminate the harm perpetuated by colonial discourses.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices. Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes. This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This study described experiences of Muslim elementary school students. The schools are located in a large urban area in western Canada. For this study, children shared their lived experiences of schooling. The study results provide important insights into the lives of Muslim immigrant children who are trying to adapt to their host country while also maintaining their family and community religious beliefs and practices. According to the findings, there are clear signs of the presence of Islamophobia in Canadian schools. This study described experiences of Muslim elementary school students. The schools are located in a large urban area in western Canada. For this study, children shared their lived experiences of schooling. The study results provide important insights into the lives of Muslim immigrant children who are trying to adapt to their host country while also maintaining their family and community religious beliefs and practices. According to the findings, there are clear signs of the presence of Islamophobia in Canadian schools.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This paper focuses on experiences of settlement and seeking employment of immigrant women in Central Alberta. The study shows that immigrant women tend to rely on their family, ethnic, and religious networks to “survive” in the first stages of settlement, as well as when seeking employment. However, the support that they can receive from their social networks is limited because: (1) their family and friends themselves often lack economic resources; (2) their non-Canadian skills and credential are not always recognized by employers; (3) they have low income and have difficulty accessing training and educational programs that may be recognized by Canadian employers; (4) they are burdened by childcare; (5) some experience language barrier that affect their confidence and mental health. This paper focuses on experiences of settlement and seeking employment of immigrant women in Central Alberta. The study shows that immigrant women tend to rely on their family, ethnic, and religious networks to “survive” in the first stages of settlement, as well as when seeking employment. However, the support that they can receive from their social networks is limited because: (1) their family and friends themselves often lack economic resources; (2) their non-Canadian skills and credential are not always recognized by employers; (3) they have low income and have difficulty accessing training and educational programs that may be recognized by Canadian employers; (4) they are burdened by childcare; (5) some experience language barrier that affect their confidence and mental health.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The issue of refugee housing affordability in Calgary is one which needs attention. In the coming years, Canada is expected to increase its refugee resettlement targets to approximately 15% of its total immigration quota. Data provided by CCIS shows a concentration of refugees living in the far north part of Calgary, some small portions in the Southwest, and a large concentration in the Forest Lawn/Northeast part of Calgary. This study assumes that the largest motivating factor for resettlement in these areas is housing affordability, constrained largely by refugee settlement funding. A survey of refugee budgets, when compared to available mean and lower quartile rental data, mostly corroborates this assumption. Single refugees are likely to face housing affordability issues far more than their counterparts with children, primarily due to the lack of child benefits. Refugee claimants, those seeking asylum in Canada, were at the greatest risk for homelessness in Calgary. It is recommended that the federal government consider granting refugee claimants benefits, and that the primary mechanism for increasing refugee housing affordability should be increasing cash transfers, including the possibility of a national housing benefit, to all Canadians. The issue of refugee housing affordability in Calgary is one which needs attention. In the coming years, Canada is expected to increase its refugee resettlement targets to approximately 15% of its total immigration quota. Data provided by CCIS shows a concentration of refugees living in the far north part of Calgary, some small portions in the Southwest, and a large concentration in the Forest Lawn/Northeast part of Calgary. This study assumes that the largest motivating factor for resettlement in these areas is housing affordability, constrained largely by refugee settlement funding. A survey of refugee budgets, when compared to available mean and lower quartile rental data, mostly corroborates this assumption. Single refugees are likely to face housing affordability issues far more than their counterparts with children, primarily due to the lack of child benefits. Refugee claimants, those seeking asylum in Canada, were at the greatest risk for homelessness in Calgary. It is recommended that the federal government consider granting refugee claimants benefits, and that the primary mechanism for increasing refugee housing affordability should be increasing cash transfers, including the possibility of a national housing benefit, to all Canadians.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This article presents the issues and challenges facing older Chinese immigrants in accessing mainstream services in Edmonton, Alberta, in Western Canada. The awareness and access to mainstream services and information, perceptions of services, system improvements and use of social media are discussed. Barriers to services include: isolation, impacting physical and mental health; few multicultural services (barriers around translation and access to services); barriers around age and ability (accessibility); cost barriers. The article suggests several recommendations: culturally competent service provision by mainstream services (including removing cost barriers, improving translation and accessibility); more collaboration between ‘mainstream’ service providers and ethno-specific organizations; more consultation with Chinese community; greater accessibility to translation; increased funding for human resources and training. This article presents the issues and challenges facing older Chinese immigrants in accessing mainstream services in Edmonton, Alberta, in Western Canada. The awareness and access to mainstream services and information, perceptions of services, system improvements and use of social media are discussed. Barriers to services include: isolation, impacting physical and mental health; few multicultural services (barriers around translation and access to services); barriers around age and ability (accessibility); cost barriers. The article suggests several recommendations: culturally competent service provision by mainstream services (including removing cost barriers, improving translation and accessibility); more collaboration between ‘mainstream’ service providers and ethno-specific organizations; more consultation with Chinese community; greater accessibility to translation; increased funding for human resources and training.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The Syrian conflict and war has contributed to the largest refugee crisis in recent history. Many refugees are seeking protection and safety for their family. This article discusses the context of the Syrian refugee crisis and how a group of social work faculty members are responding by supporting the resettlement of a Syrian refugee family in Canada. Private sponsorship options, grassroots activities, and the role of social work in resettlement are discussed. The paper explores the experiences of one refugee sponsor group composed of social work faculty, argues that social worker have an important role to play in refugee resettlement (through private sponsorship and other social work-related activities). This article concludes with a call to action for social workers to strengthen their support and involvement in the resettlement of refugees. The Syrian conflict and war has contributed to the largest refugee crisis in recent history. Many refugees are seeking protection and safety for their family. This article discusses the context of the Syrian refugee crisis and how a group of social work faculty members are responding by supporting the resettlement of a Syrian refugee family in Canada. Private sponsorship options, grassroots activities, and the role of social work in resettlement are discussed. The paper explores the experiences of one refugee sponsor group composed of social work faculty, argues that social worker have an important role to play in refugee resettlement (through private sponsorship and other social work-related activities). This article concludes with a call to action for social workers to strengthen their support and involvement in the resettlement of refugees.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly