91ÑÇÉ«

Funder: SSHRC Insight Development Grant 

Grant: CAD $62,498

Duration: 2025/06/01 – 2027/05/31.

PI: Gemechu Abeshu, Postdoc Fellow, McMaster University; Research Affiliate, Center for Refugee Studies, 91ÑÇÉ«

Co-PI: Dr. Abel Chikanda is an Associate Professor in the School of Earth, Environment & Society (EES) at McMaster University

Collaborators: Christopher Kyriakides, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Citizenship, Social Justice and Ethno-Racialization, 91ÑÇÉ«; Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas), Talent Beyond Boundaries

Project team members: Fatema Isam; Jatani Liban Sora · 

Project Summary:

The global population of forcibly displaced persons has surged dramatically, from 59.5 million in 2014 to 72 million in 2018, and current estimates suggest that the number of forcibly displaced persons has risen above 122.6 million by 2024. In response, the UN and its member states have initiated complementary pathways for admission, including labour mobility initiatives, to address that crisis. Canada's Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP), launched in 2018, is a prime example. It aims to connect skilled refugees with Canadian employment opportunities, offering resettlement while addressing domestic labour shortages. However, the program entails a status shift for participants, transitioning from refugee status to economic migrants. While the EMPP has facilitated the resettlement of over 500 refugees as of 2023, existing scholarship has not adequatley examined the nuanced impact of this status shift, particularly when combined with intersectional identities such as race, gender, religion, and legal status, on their integration trajectories. This research project investigates the integration processes of EMPP refugees in Canada, focusing on comparing experiences between those resettled in urban centers and those in small towns and rural settings. The analysis will assess the infulence of identity markers, geographical location, and duration of stay on integration experiences. The project aims to understand how intersecting factors such as race, religion, ethnicity, and pre-migration displacement experiences shape both the expectations and lived realities of EMPP participants. Specific objectives are a) to assess the integration experiences of EMPP migrants in Canada and b) to describe the similarities and differences in the experiences of EMPP migrants from Africa and the Middle East comparatively, those settled in small towns and rural vs. urban centers, and those who arrived recently (1-3 years) vs. those who have been here longer (3-5 years). Employing intersectional and transnational theoretical framework, this project will utilize qualitative techniques, including narrative interviews and focus group discussions. It aims to inform both academic discourse and policy development regarding refugee labour mobility pathways. By providing empirical inisghts into the lived experiences of EMPP participants, the study will shed light on issues such as experiences of racism, difficulties with credential recognition, and underemployment. The intersectioctional lens will reveal how gender, ethnicity, and legal status interlace to shape integration experiences, offering insights often overlooked in existing literature. Amidst rising anti-immigrant sentiment within Canada, these findings will provide crucial evidence to inform policy decisions regarding scaling the EMPP, mitigating integration barriers, and considering the program's potential as a permanent component of Canada's immigration strategy. Furthermore, this project includes a capacity-building component, training two research assistants from African and Middle Eastern communities in qualitative research methods, data analysis, and knowledge mobilisation, thereby enhancing research capacity within these communities. Partnership with a non-profit-organization - Talent Beyond Boundaries- will further strengthen refugee advocacy and support systems. Dissemination efforts, incluidng three peer-reviewed publications, two policy briefs, and presentations at national and international forums such as the Global Refugee Forum in 2027, will ensure the research impacts broader global debates on refugee labour mobility. This interdisciplinary project will address the multifaceted nature of migrant (and refugee) experiences and inform broader debates on immigration and belonging.