“The long-term economic integration of privately sponsored refugees in Canada” project (2018-2022)

Feng Hou (Statistics Canada/ Western University) and I are empirically evaluating the long-term economic benefit of Canada’s private sponsorship program. Using Statistics Canada’s Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB), we compare the employment, earnings, welfare receipt, and residential patterns of refugees from different admission categories, including Privately Sponsored Refugee (PSR), Government-Assisted-Refugee (GAR), Blended Visa Office-referred Refugee (BVOR) programs.

This project was awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Grant ($95,000).

To date, our research findings are disseminated as follows:

Publications:

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. (2022) “Employment” Asylum and Resettlement in Canada: Historical Development, Successes, Challenges and Lessons Learned (Eds. Ervis Martani and Denise Helly). Franco Angeli, Italy.

Kaida, L., M. Stick, and F. Hou. (2022) “Changes in Selection Policy and Refugee Welfare Use in Canada” International Migration 60(5): 38-59.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. (2022) “From Adaptability to Vulnerability: Changes in Admission Criteria and Refugee Participation in Social Assistance” Economic and Social Reports 2(3). Catalogue no. 36-28-0001. Ottawa: ON: Statistics Canada.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. (2020) “Are Refugees More Likely to Leave Initial Destinations than Economic Immigrants? Recent Evidence from Canadian Longitudinal Administrative Data” Population, Space and Place 26(5): e2326.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. (2020) “The Long-Term Economic Integration of Resettled Refugees in Canada: A Comparison of Privately Sponsored Refugees and Government-Assisted Refugees” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 46(9): 1687-1708.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, F. and M. Stick. (2019). “Settlement and Retention of Immigrants in Non-Gateway Cities: Trends since the 2000s” Canadian Diversity 16(1): 16-20.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. (2020) “The Long-term Economic Outcomes of Refugee Private Sponsorship” Statistics Canada Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series. Catalogue no. 11F0019M-433. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. (2020) “Are Refugees More Likely to Leave Initial Destinations than Economic Immigrants? Recent Evidence from Canadian Longitudinal Administrative Data” Statistics Canada Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series. Catalogue no. 11F0019M-441. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada.

Presentations:

Kaida, L. 2021. “Immigration and Settlement” Invited talk for the Canadian Research Data Centre Network annual conference, online, October 20, 2021.

Kaida, L., M. Stick, and F. Hou. 2021. “From Adaptability to Vulnerability: Do Policy Changes in Selection Criteria Affect Government-Assisted Refugees’ Participation in Social Assistance in Canada?” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Population Society, online, May 18-21, 2021.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. 2020. “Are Refugees More Likely to Leave Initial Destinations than Economic Immigrants? Recent Evidence from Canadian Longitudinal Administration Data” Paper presented at the (online) annual meeting of the Population Association of America, Washington DC, April 22-25, 2020.

Kaida, L. 2020. “The Long-Term Economic Integration of Resettled Refugees in Canada” Invited talk for the Canadian Research Data Centre Network webinar series, Hamilton, ON, March 12, 2020.

Kaida, L. 2020. “What Can/Can’t Administrative Data Tell us about Refugee Economic Integration in Canada?” Invited keynote speech for the Sociology Department Spring Lecture, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, March 6, 2020.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick 2019. “A Comparison of Secondary Migration by Admission Category: Are Refugees More Responsive to Unemployment in the Initial Destination?” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Population Society, Vancouver, BC, June 5-7, 2019.

Kaida, Lisa, F. Hou, and M. Stick 2019. “The Long-term Economic Benefits of Refugee Private Sponsorship” Paper presented at the annual Population Association of America conference, Austin, TX, April 11-13, 2019.

Kaida, L., F. Hou, and M. Stick. 2019. “The Economic Benefits of Refugee Private Sponsorship.” Invited talk for the National Metropolis Conference, Halifax, NS.

Kaida, L. and F. Hou. 2018. “The Long-Term Economic Benefits of Refugee Private Sponsorship” Paper presented at the 6th Québec Interuniversity Center for Social Statistics (QICSS) International Conference, Montreal, QC, October 11-12, 2018.