Beyond 365 days: the economic integration of African refugees in Vancouver, Canada

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.