Pros and Cons of Refugees in Canada

September 12, 2021BY Anik Chowdhury

In Canada, over 30000 refugees were settled in months. The Government and others supported some got support to be private companies. The refugees got the help of all kinds of necessities for a certain time. Some refugees have excellent work ethic with experience, so they can always be helpful to Canada. Learn more about the pros and cons of refugees in Canada.

How Does Canada’s Refugee System Works?

Refugees leave their own country because of a fear of persecution. They have experienced many tragedies for which they do not return. Immigrants and refugees are different as immigrants choose to settle in another country, but refugees have no choice other than to leave.

Canadian Refugee Protection Programs

The program is divided into two parts:

Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement

People who need help outside Canada. Refugees come to Canada and start a new life. UNHCR collaborates with sponsors and helps to resettle. However, no one can directly apply to resettle; they have to go through some process.

Some of the private sponsors are Groups of Five, Blended Visa Office Referred, community sponsors. These sponsors signed agreements with the Canadian Government to help refugees. Such groups are also known as Sponsorship Agreement Holders.

In-Canada Asylum

People who need help inside Canada. The refugees of this program have a fear of persecution or the risk of punishment in their countries. The same rule applies to these people that they cannot apply are they wish. The refugees either have criminal offences, or the Canadian Government denied their refugee claims.

Know More: Can We Move from One Province to Another in Canada

Help for Resettled Refugees

Everyone needs help to settle in a new place, and the same goes for refugees. Canadian Government takes the help of different private programs to help refugees resettle. The Government of Canada provides essential services, including income sources, to help the refugees. The income support is for a year, and if the refugees still do not have a way of income, the Resettlement Assistance Program helps Government to help refugees.

Resettlement Assistance Program

The program provides many other services in four to six weeks. For example, welcoming refugees to the airport, finding a place to stay, basic needs, etc.

However, the private programs do not only help in finance, but they also have emotional support.

On the other hand, blended visa office-referred refugees support for about six months. They provide financial and emotional help from six months to one year.

Helping Newcomers (Refugees Included)

Other than refugees, many people come to Canada to settle down and start new lives. The settlement programs also help such people.

The settlement programs work with provinces, organizations, and different stakeholders. However, in such cases, the services are:

Basic needs
General information about Canada
Training for different languages

Connecting to people means having networks with Canadian immigrants
Childcare
Services for translations

Resources for disabled people
The use of transport
Counselling for mental health.

Pros of Having Refugees: Canada

There are many advantages that Canada will have when they have refugees. Some of them may include:

Manpower

Some refugees are educated and know technology, for example, the refugees of Syria. If such refugees arrive, Canada will have skilled manpower, which is beneficial. Though the refugees take time to learn English, they help job sectors.

Economic Growth

The refugees boost economic growth. Their standard of living lets them pay taxes. However, private sponsors help refugees to get better jobs.

Resourceful Refugees

The refugees get help from the Government and become trustworthy towards Canada.

Labours

Unskilled or having no proper skills provide cheap labour in Canada. Such refugees have the power of low payments.

Increasing Population

As the economic growth is rising, the population is also growing. Eventually, the population is helping Canada to grow.

Different Cultures

Different types of people are living in the same country. So, Canada is providing people to collaborate within the cultures. Being an open-minded country, Canada values different cultures.

Decreasing Economic Tension

Most refugees are crossing retirement age, so they cannot contribute much. As a result, these refugees help others to have knowledge and connections.

Health Benefits

Comparing to citizens, refugees have similar opportunities for the health benefits

Privileges in the Job Sector

In Canada, people are privileged if they are skilled. So, sectors hire people who have increasing demands and customers.

Cons of Having Refugees: Canada

As Canada has advantages, they also have disadvantages well. Some of them include:

Social Security

If refugees are not skilled enough, social security gets affected as the economic growth increases.

Pressure

Some refugees feel their sponsors have already invested a lot of time, so they feel pressured to get a job. Adding to the statement, many other people are also waiting, and they need support as well.

Exploited

Refugees, mainly women, get exploited by slavery and sex trading.

Increasing Criminal Cases

As people start a new life, they face many obstacles like poverty. As a result, refugees commit a crime to survive, and Canada’s criminal cases keep on increasing.

The Burden on Society

Most refugees are forced to move out of their country in fear which means they are already traumatized. Eventually, they tend to suffer depression and stress. Keeping such facts in mind, they feel that they burden society as mental health affects social life.

Socioeconomic Level

Researchers found that in Canada, where refugees settled, they lowered socioeconomic level and the population.

Infrastructure

Thousands of refugees share housing and transports, which affects the infrastructure.

Increased Expense

Canada is very expensive, and refugees come to have a better life in a luxurious country, but in the end, it is very tough to survive if people do not get a job.

Bottom-Line

Refugees do suffer a lot but moving to Canada is worth fleeing. Unexpectedly, according to many private programs, refugees struggle even to have financial and emotional support. Not only is the country now, many refugees even finding the language to communicate as a challenge. However, at the end of all sufferings, most refugees cherish a new life of freedom.