Abstract

<p>While Canada’s immigration system is shaped primarily by the nation’s economic needs, refugee claimants’ motivations are, by nature, non-economic. Resultantly, refugee claimants are often portrayed as a drain on Canadian resources. Despite this however, refugee claimants’ employment experiences remain underrepresented in the literature. This study explores the employment experiences of refugee claimants in Toronto, and finds that claimants face distinct and unique barriers stemming from their precarious legal status. Additionally, as neither temporary workers nor permanent citizens, this study finds that refugee claimants perceive employment as an integrative expression of belonging and citizenship. Through the lens of <em>refugeeness</em>, this study traces the subjective employment trajectories of refugee claimants. Findings indicate that refugee claimants’ employability is shaped by real and ascribed barriers associated with their citizenship status, creating decidedly unique and often difficult employment experiences.</p>

Highlights

  • Refugees have both embodied and facilitated Canada’s national humanitarian identity since Canada ratified the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in 1969 (Becklumb, 2008)

  • This study explores the employment experiences of refugee claimants in Toronto, and finds that claimants face distinct and unique barriers stemming from their precarious legal status

  • This study seeks to help fill this gap by examining the labour market experiences of refugee claimants in Toronto, and exploring the questions, what employment barriers do refugee claimants face? What does employment mean for refugee claimants? This study engages Dobson’s (2004) refugeeness framework as a lens to observe the subjective trajectories of refugees’ employment experiences, as well as tenets from Pozniak (2009) to situate the power of public narratives in shaping RCs’ employability

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Summary

Introduction

Refugees have both embodied and facilitated Canada’s national humanitarian identity since Canada ratified the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in 1969 (Becklumb, 2008). In the wake of neo-liberal reforms, the economic cost of Canada’s commitment to humanitarianism is under fire, and the notion of inland refugee claimants as a precept to the Canadian identity is questioned through mounting negative public discourse. Despite an increased focus on refugees’ economic costs, the employment experiences of inland refugee claimants (RCs) remain understudied. This study engages Dobson’s (2004) refugeeness framework as a lens to observe the subjective trajectories of refugees’ employment experiences, as well as tenets from Pozniak (2009) to situate the power of public narratives in shaping RCs’ employability. I first explore the employment barriers faced by RCs, and follow with an analysis of claimants’ labour market experiences to explore the integrative role employment plays in shaping RCs’ cultural ontologies. It will be demonstrated that refugeeness projects unique challenges unto its bearers and shapes RCs’ experiences and understandings of employment in Canada

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