Beyond 365 days: the economic integration of African refugees in Vancouver, Canada
Date
2010-03-04T11:34:36Z
Authors
Chang, Jaclyn
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Abstract
Abstract
This study focuses on the resettlement of government-assisted refugees (GARs) from
Africa to Vancouver, Canada. I explore the economic integration experiences of 19
African refugees who have lived in Vancouver beyond one year. Because African
refugees are resettled in relatively small numbers, and fail to develop a clear pattern of
spatial concentration, their settlement experiences have been somewhat different from
those who settle in larger concentrations around the Metro Vancouver district. Some of
these refugees have become economically self-sufficient beyond one year of residence,
which is the duration of the government sponsorship, while others still rely on state
support. The study seeks to explain what accounts for these variances, specifically
whether it is human capital or social capital, in achieving economic self-sufficiency
beyond the first year. The main findings suggest that specific dimensions of social
capital—social cohesion, networks, and trust—are essential for refugee self-sufficiency
in Vancouver’s environment, while human capital seems to have a diminished role. This
study gives implications on how we understand migrant self-reliance by looking at the
significance of social capital in livelihood strategies. It also affirms that the effects of
social capital are context dependent, and assertions may only hold true in identical cases.