WORKING TO GET A JOB: BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AMONG POST-IRPA GARS Kathy Sherrell, UBC Geography 1

Post-IRPA GARs 2 Policy and Procedural Changes: Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (2002) From ability to settle to need for protection New source regions and protracted refugee situations Changing profile: Multi-barriered or high-needs GARs New service or program needs?

Project 3 MITACS-Metropolis BC internship Immigration Partnerships and Initiatives Branch, Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development (ALMD) Employment and employability among post-IRPA GARs Review of existing employment programs and services 14 key informant interviews (16 individuals)

Changing profile of GARs 4 GARs arriving in 2007 were more likely than previous cohorts: to arrive from protracted refugee situations, to report speaking neither official language upon arrival, and to have lower levels of (formal) education

GARs: Level of Education 5

Previous research findings High un(der)employment and reliance on government transfers; Refugees stated their willingness and desire to obtain employment; Respondents view language and employment as interrelated issues that cannot be addressed individually; and There is a need for programs linked to employment that enable respondents to continue language training. (McLean et al. 2006; Cubie 2006; Sherrell 2008) 6

Results: Key types of support and action 1)The introduction of case management and structured support from shortly after arrival; 2)The provision of programs and services that seek to develop life skills and job-training to assist people in obtaining employment; 7

3)Action to educate employers, and wider society, about the difficulties faced by refugees and establish opportunities to assist GARs in obtaining Canadian workplace experience; and 4)The continued provision of support to clients after they have obtained employment to ensure they develop necessary job maintenance skills. 8 Results: Key types of support and action

Initial contact with GARs Information Obtain employment and achieve financial self-sufficiency Follow up and monitoring to develop job maintenance skills Targeted Assistance or Multi-disciplinary Assessment Case management Intensive English Classes Intensive Life Skills Obtain increased self-sufficiency Continuum of Employment Programs Liaise with Employers and Increased Public Education Vocational / Job Skills Training Programs Job search & employment programs Volunteer, job placement, & mentoring 9

Concluding comments 10 Profile of GARs significantly different than previous cohorts Necessitate a range of flexible and supported programs to support diverse clientele Facilitating integration requires collaborative approach involving all stakeholders Disconnect between needs and services? Service landscape beginning to change

Thanks to …. 11 Immigration Partnerships and Initiatives Branch, Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Dr. Dan Hiebert, Academic Supervisor MITACS-Metropolis BC Internship