It is estimated that there are over 13 million refugees in the world who have been forced to flee their countries of origin (Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Building on a Strong Foundation for the 21st Century: New Directions for Immigration and Refugee Policy and Legislation. Ottawa, 1998, p.40). Millions more are victims of violence and forced displacement, but because they continue to live within the political borders of their own countries they are not, technically speaking, regarded as refugees. A significant but indeterminate number of refugees are settled annually in countries with overarching humanitarian values, such as Canada. In fact, Canada has had a long history of settling refugees from overseas as part of its humanitarian obligation to the international community. Refugees are a special kind of immigrant in the sense that their resettlement must take account of the unusual circumstances surrounding their experience prior to their arrival in Canada, as well as their unique social, economic and psychological needs.
During the last two decades of this century (1980-1999), an average of 30,000 refugees were admitted to Canada annually, for an estimated total of about 0.6 million. Given this heavy intake of refugees, it is not surprising that in 1986 the United Nations awarded Canada the Nansen medal for its outstanding humanitarian tradition of settling refugees. It is worth noting that Canada is the first country to be so honoured by the United Nations.
Judging from past and recent trends in the admission of refugees, the flow of refugees to Canada is likely to continue into the foreseeable future. The Immigration Plan for 1998 called for the admission of 22,100-29,300 refugees and it is anticipated that an additional 25,000-30,000 refugees will be settled in Canada in 1999. Related to this, a recent government document proposes to strengthen "Canada’s refugee resettlement program" and pledges to continue to work closely with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). (Ibid, Citizenship and Immigration Canada. p. 43.)
Where do these refugees come from? In the 35-year period following World War II, the refugees admitted in large numbers have come from such varied countries as Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Uganda, Chile, Indochina, and Lebanon. In the last two decades, however, they have come again from Indochina and Lebanon, as well as from Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Southeast Asia, Somalia and other African countries, El Salvador and other Latin American countries, Poland and former Yugoslavia, among others.
Refugees come to Canada as "immigrants" selected by Canada’s Immigration Service, often on the recommendation of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Alternatively, they arrive at a port of entry and seek Canada’s protection as refugee claimants, in which case they undergo a refugee determination process within Canada designed to ascertain the legitimacy of their claims. The focus of the present study is on refugees selected abroad and not on refugee claimants.
Canada recognizes two broad classes of refugees. The first class, Convention refugees, refers to those people who come under the United Nations definition by having a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin on the basis of race, religion, nationality, or group membership. The second class, which is recent in origin in Canada and not within the terms of the UN definition, refers to "people who are in refugee-like situations for whom no other durable solution can be found." (See Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, Ibid, p. 39.) For administrative purposes, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) further categorizes refugees in many different ways, including, for example, whether they are (a) government sponsored, (b) privately sponsored by a group or an organization in Canada, or (c) assisted by a relative in Canada.
There are many rules and regulations governing the settlement of refugees in Canada. For present purposes, however, only a few highlights are presented. Refugees are settled in Canada with financial assistance provided by their public or private sponsors, and with other forms of assistance provided by immigrant/refugee-serving agencies and other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as churches or ethnic groups. In the case of refugees who do not have sufficient funds to support themselves, CIC provides direct financial assistance in the early phase of settlement for up to one year, plus a range of publicly-supported settlement services administered by NGOs. A partial list of settlement services provided to refugees includes: orientation (learning about the community), language training, occupational/job training, help with finding a job, help with translation, help with finding housing, help with health problems, help with children’s schools, and help with finding family members.
When Canadian Visa Officers overseas interview selected refugees, they give them advice on many issues, including where to settle in Canada. Thus, even before refugee immigrants arrive in Canada, they know the city of final destination that was identified in consultation with the Visa Officer overseas. Typically, the refugees selected abroad are sent to large urban centres throughout the country. After they land in Canada, most refugees go to the predetermined city of destination; however, they may or may not reside permanently in that city.