Humanitarian Migrants Research Articles

Creating Cohesive, Coherent Immigration Policy

US immigration policy has serious limitations, particularly when viewed from an economic perspective. Some shortcomings arise from faulty initial design, others from the inability of the system to adapt to changing circumstances. In either case, a reluctance to confront politically difficult decisions is often a contributing factor to the failure to craft laws that can stand the test of time. We argue that, as a result, some key aspects of US immigration policy are incoherent and mutually contradictory —new policies are often inconsistent with past policies and undermine their goals. Inconsistency makes policies less effective because participants in the immigration system realize that lawmakers face powerful incentives to revise policies at a later date. US policies regarding unauthorized immigration, temporary visas, and humanitarian migrants offer examples of incoherence and inconsistency. This article explores key features of an integrated, coherent immigration policy from an economic perspective and how policymakers could better attempt to achieve policy consistency across laws and over time.

The impact of oral English proficiency on humanitarian migrants’ experiences of settling in Australia

ABSTRACTKey drivers for migrants’ social integration are education, employment, and skills in the dominant language of the settlement country. Data from Building a New Life in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian Migrants were used to examine migrants’ English proficiency and how oral English proficiency facilitated or hindered participation in activities that may help them become self-sufficient and settle. Participants were 2399 humanitarian migrants interviewed in the first wave of data collection (during 2013/14). Before arrival in Australia, 80.1% reported they spoke English not well or not at all. After arrival, oral English proficiency was a statistically significant predictor of self-sufficiency (knowing how to look for a job, get help in an emergency, etc.) explaining 21% of the variance while controlling for confounding variables such as age and education. After English proficiency, age (neither too young nor too old), gender (male), education (more than 12 years), and time since arrival (more than one year) were significant predictors of self-sufficiency. Identification of factors that predict self-sufficiency informs the understanding of people who provide support for humanitarian migrants. These findings indicate poor oral English skills may profoundly hinder humanitarian migrants’ ability to settle and highlight the importance of supporting migrants’ English learning.

Moderators of mental health of humanitarian migrants

Several world regions have seen an exponential increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers (broadly termed as humanitarian migrants) arriving on their shores. 1 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2017. http://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html Google Scholar Key destinations for humanitarian migrants include developed countries in the European Union, the USA, and Australia; however, a large number of humanitarian migrants also seek refuge in developing countries. 1 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2017. http://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html Google Scholar Pre-migration and post-migration factors associated with mental health in humanitarian migrants in Australia and the moderation effect of post-migration stressors: findings from the first wave data of the BNLA cohort studyOur data suggest that post-migration resettlement-related stressors were the most important correlates of mental health in humanitarian migrants, accounting for both direct and indirect associations. Targeting resettlement-related stressors through augmenting psychosocial care programmes and social integration would be a key approach to improve humanitarian migrants' mental health. Full-Text PDF

Pre-migration and post-migration factors associated with mental health in humanitarian migrants in Australia and the moderation effect of post-migration stressors: findings from the first wave data of the BNLA cohort study

The process of becoming a humanitarian migrant is potentially damaging to mental health. We examined the association between pre-migration and post-migration potentially traumatic events and stressors and mental health, and assessed the moderating effect of post-migration stressors in humanitarian migrants in Australia. In this study, we used the first wave of data between 2013 and 2014 from the Building a New Life in Australia survey. The survey included 2399 migrants who had arrived in Australia holding a permanent humanitarian visa 3-6 months preceding the survey, with 77% and 23% of participants being granted visas through offshore and onshore humanitarian programmes, respectively. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was measured with the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder 8 items (PTSD-8) and severe mental illness was measured with the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6). Pre-migration potentially traumatic events and post-migration stressors related to asylum process and resettlement were measured with a self-reported questionnaire. Of the 2399 participants, 762 (31%; 95% CI 29·4-33·2) had PTSD and 394 (16%; 95% CI 14·2-17·2) had severe mental illness. The mean number of pre-migration potentially traumatic events was 2·1 (SD 1·4). 64%, 59%, 49%, and 18% of participants reported poor social integration, economic problems, worrying about family or friends overseas, and loneliness as post-migration stressors. Pre-migration potentially traumatic events and post-migration stressors were positively associated with PTSD and severe mental illness. Factors significantly modifying the association between pre-migration potentially traumatic events and mental health after controlling for confounding factors were resettlement related stressors, including loneliness (odds ratio 1·17, 95% CI 1·05-1·28 for PTSD and 1·28, 1·16-1·41 for severe mental illness) and the number of social integration stressors (1·10, 1·05-1·16 for PTSD). Our data suggest that post-migration resettlement-related stressors were the most important correlates of mental health in humanitarian migrants, accounting for both direct and indirect associations. Targeting resettlement-related stressors through augmenting psychosocial care programmes and social integration would be a key approach to improve humanitarian migrants' mental health. None.

An integrated healthcare service for asylum seekers and refugees in the South-Eastern Region of Melbourne: Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing.

Asylum seekers and refugees generally have poorer health than the broader Australian population. However, these groups experience a range of barriers to accessing universal health services. Generalist and specialist refugee health services have been established in Australia to improve the health of humanitarian migrant groups. This article describes a refugee health service established in a high-settlement region of Melbourne, Australia, and explores clients' experiences with the service. Client feedback was captured through interviews (n=18) and surveys (n=159). Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the service, and highlighted the value in having trusting relationships with staff, access to bicultural workers, onsite interpreting services and integrated care. The findings indicate that it is possible to engage asylum seekers and refugees through healthcare delivery that is responsive to the unique needs of this priority population.

Sudanese Humanitarian Migrants in Australian Refereed Journals

This article reviews the literature about Australian South Sudanese humanitarian migrants in refereed journals, and is underpinned by a concern for the settlement experiences of migrants and the reduced effectiveness of research which is compartmentalised into different academic disciplinary fields. Though a large volume of academic work has paid attention to many themes and issues, the present review identifies gaps in the understanding of Sudanese and South Sudanese views on family violence, economic stress, issues specific to older migrants, and perceptions of racialised policing. This article suggests the importance of bringing available knowledge from different disciplines into an accessible and cross-referenced platform to better serve southern Sudanese migrants' needs in assisting successful establishment of their new lives in Australia.

‘Everyday otherness’ – intercultural refugee encounters and everyday multiculturalism in a South Australian rural town

ABSTRACTIn this paper, I investigate the lived experience of multiculturalism often referred to as ‘everyday multiculturalism’. I suggest that the concept of ‘everyday otherness’ offers further insight in understanding the intercultural dynamics of diverse communities and explore the ways in which individuals and communities have negotiated intercultural encounters and ‘otherness’ in a regional Australian community. The research is based on ethnographic fieldwork in a South Australian regional town and draws on an analysis of 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews with long-term residents and recent humanitarian migrants – those who are from Afghan Hazara refugees/asylum seeker backgrounds. Following on from Amanda Wise’s (2009) conception of individuals who facilitate bridging difference between diverse groups, ‘transversal enablers’, I identify two types of ‘transversal enablers’ that can be found among both long-term regional residents and new migrants – structural and everyday enablers – and draw out the characteristics and capacities that they exemplify in bridging ‘everyday otherness’ in the community.

The evolution of immigration and asylum policy in Luxembourg: insights from IMPALA

This article presents and discusses the evolution of immigration policy of Luxembourg concerning the entry of economic, family related and humanitarian migrants. To that aim, we rely on some of the data of the IMPALA project that codes from immigration laws the entry conditions in a set of immigration countries. We focus on some entry tracks specific to skilled and unskilled migrants and compare some of the conditions prevailing in Luxembourg with those observed in France, the US and Australia. We also propose a narrative analysis of the changes in the Luxembourgish regulation since the end of the 19th Century. We show that Luxembourg has improved its immigration system over time and follows mainly reforms introduced in the other European countries and at the European level.

Gestures of judgement and welcome in public spaces: hypervisible migrant newcomers in Darwin, Australia

This paper draws on ethnographic research to show how pigmentation intensities of skin and facial characteristics make bodies of colour recognisable in public spaces of Darwin, a small multiethnic and multiracial north Australian city. This paper shows that the visibility of newcomers, in particular, humanitarian migrants from countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, circulates negative sentiments of fear, anxiety and discomfort in public spaces when instantaneous judgements are made. These judgements of misrecognition made by residents of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds lead to simmering tensions that unfold as visceral events of vulnerability in public spaces such as bus interchanges, neighbourhood streets, shopping centres and car parks. These events that have the potential to wound and numb bodies contribute to the “urban unconscious” of Darwin as a city where public spaces are safe with heightened surveillance. This paper argues, however, that events of hypervisibility, judgement and interracial tensions can unfold quite differently in public spaces if humanitarian migrants sense gestures of welcome, particularly from Aboriginals. Such fleeting moments of welcome in Darwin have the potential to bring together bodies with different histories and geographies of racialisation, so that multiple publics emerge through everyday habits of living with difference.

Refugees connecting with a new country through community food gardening.

Refugees are a particularly vulnerable population who undergo nutrition transition as a result of forced migration. This paper explores how involvement in a community food garden supports African humanitarian migrant connectedness with their new country. A cross-sectional study of a purposive sample of African refugees participating in a campus-based community food garden was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with twelve African humanitarian migrants who tended established garden plots within the garden. Interview data were thematically analysed revealing three factors which participants identified as important benefits in relation to community garden participation: land tenure, reconnecting with agri-culture, and community belonging. Community food gardens offer a tangible means for African refugees, and other vulnerable or marginalised populations, to build community and community connections. This is significant given the increasing recognition of the importance of social connectedness for wellbeing.

The Resilience Complex

The Resilience Complex

Silent Bargain or Rural Cosmopolitanism? Refugee Settlement in Regional Australia

Over the past decade, an increasing share of refugees and other types of humanitarian migrants have settled in regional Australia either of their own accord or through the government's refugee settlement programme. This follows a trend in other Western countries that have implemented dispersal policies to direct humanitarian migrants to regional towns on the grounds of burden sharing and regional development. At the same time, migrants themselves are increasingly targeting rural destinations that promise easier access to employment and a quieter life than large cosmopolitan cities offer. This paper explores the experience of settling refugees in regional Australia through a case study which shows that ethnic communities are vital to sustaining refugee settlement in regional towns. These communities help ameliorate some of the drawbacks of regional towns, such as limited, specialised services and scarce opportunities for social and economic advancement and foster their sociocultural transformation. While openness to cultural diversity plays an important role in regional towns' ability to retain humanitarian migrants, this alone cannot compensate for a lack of opportunities for socio-economic advancement.

Attachment, Coping, Acculturative Stress, and Quality of Life Among Haitian Immigrants

This study investigated the relationship between attachment, coping, acculturative stress, and quality of life (QOL) in a sample of Haitian immigrants in the United States. Results indicated that an increase in years living in the United States and greater anxiety attachment were negatively associated with QOL and that higher levels of adaptive coping were associated with higher QOL and lower levels of acculturative stress. Implications for counseling and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Food acquisition habits in a group of African refugees recently settled in Australia

This study investigated how recently arrived refugees acquired food in their local food neighbourhood. Ten African humanitarian migrants belonging to separate households were asked to keep a travel and food diary for one week. Participants’ food neighbourhoods were mapped using online satellite pictures and direct observation. On average 78 food outlets were available within a 2km radius of participants’ homes. Vegetable consumption was higher in participants who resided <1km from a major grocery retailer (p<0.05). Foods provided during migrant orientation events were the major opportunities where subjects were introduced to foods more typical of reported usual intake in the general sedentee Australian population. The initial 12 months of resettlement is a critical period for acculturation as participants stabilise food habits. While participants seemed not to live in food deserts, intakes of all food groups remained inferior to recommended levels suggesting physical proximity and implied in-store choice alone do not guarantee a healthy diet. Migrant orientation events may represent an important setting for education about suitable options for adopting new foods into diets.

Towards a Culturally Appropriate Mental Health System: Sudanese-Australians' Experiences with Trauma

Australia is fortunate to welcome approximately 13,000 humanitarian entrants per year, most of whom have experienced protracted violence, hardship and life in refugee camps. The majority of humanitarian migrants were raised in cultural contexts very different to that of Australia, contributing to the increasing diversity of this region. With this diversity comes a responsibility to ensure every Australian receives culturally appropriate mental healthcare. Those who are forced into migration have experienced trauma and the stress of acculturation often compounds this trauma. This study investigated the experience of trauma from the perspectives of Sudanese-Australians. Grounded theory methodology was employed to extract themes from interviews with 15 Sudanese-Australians aged between 19 and 49 years. Results demonstrated four overarching themes: support, religion, strength and new possibilities. The data within these themes are compared and contrasted with previous literature that has examined notions of trauma, distress and growth in western populations. Conclusions drawn from these results highlight the need to build inclusive practices that support diversity into existing trauma services in Australia.

Assessment of National Migration Policies: An Emerging Picture on Admissions, Treatment and Enforcement in Developing and Developed Countries

This paper presents an internationally comparable assessment of several dimensions of migration policies as of early 2009. For a selected set of 28 countries, both developed and developing, we analyse the admission criteria, policies on integration and treatment of migrants, and efforts to enforce those policies. Irregular migration is a particular area of focus. The analysis distinguishes between different entry regimes, namely: labour migrants (high or low skilled, with a permanent or a temporary permit), those who move with a family-related visa, humanitarian migrants (asylum seekers and refugees), international visitors and international students. The data is drawn from an assessment by country experts as well as by desk-research of HDRO staff.

Building Multicultural Social Capital In Regional Australia

Over the last decade the Commonwealth government has directed increasing numbers of humanitarian migrants to nonmetropolitan areas. The objective of this regional settlement plan has been an attempt to ensure that country areas also enjoy the economic and cultural benefits that migrants can bring. This article provides case studies of Greater Shepparton and Toowoomba; two of the centres which received influxes of new arrivals. The experience of Greater Shepparton has been very positive; Toowoomba much less so. We draw on social capital theory to explain why the program in Greater Shepparton has been more successful than Toowoomba. The analysis demonstrates that Greater Shepparton had built extensive reserves of both bonding and bridging social capital, while Toowoomba had only limited reserves of bonding social capital. We argue, however, that if the regional settlement program is to be effective in the longer term, it must be seeded in communities that have developed elements of not only bonding and bridging social capital, but also institutional social capital as well.

Discrimination and Well-Being: Perceptions of Refugees in Western Australia

This paper reports the apparent paradox of high levels of discrimination experienced by humanitarian migrants to Australia, in the labor market and everyday life, yet simultaneous reporting of positive well-being. How can people feel discriminated against, yet still be relatively satisfied with life? The study draws on quantitative and qualitative data from a study of 150 refugees from the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East, and Africa. Possible reasons for the level of well-being are explored, including “relative deprivation theory,” as well as various resiliency and mitigating factors, including personal and social supports. The notion of eudaimonic well-being – whereby experiences of difficulty produce positive well-being – is also applied to the findings. The negative experiences and perceptions appear to map onto low-level dissatisfaction or disgruntlement, and specifically directed or contained disappointment, rather than serious dissatisfaction with life generally, orientation to Australia, or negative subjective well-being.

Health and Humanitarian Migrants’ Economic Participation

Refugees and immigrants being resettled in Australia on humanitarian grounds are known to have poorer health than other immigrants. Using data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Immigrants to Australia, the paper examines the influence of three measures of health-self-reported health status, the presence of a long-term health condition and mental health status-on the economic participation of humanitarian migrants. Multivariate logistic regression is used to control for other factors known to affect immigrants' economic participation, such as age, skills and English language proficiency, to see if health has an independent effect. The results show that migrants with poor physical health are less likely than migrants with good health to be in the work force. Mental health status affects the economic participation of male but not female migrants. The findings provide important empirical evidence of the significant role of health in the economic integration of migrants of refugee background.