From Rights to Realities - Navigating Higher Education as a Refugee in Canada

Amna Shah - July 2024

No one reached out to me, but I want to reach out to you! Canada, renowned for its diversity, has long embraced individuals from diverse backgrounds, including refugees and newcomers with forcibly displaced persons. Yet, amid the rights afforded to all, have you ever found yourself questioning whether you truly feel their full effect?

I could define this situation much like the time when Indigenous Peoples were granted the right to vote after a lengthy and complicated history of exclusions and dehumanization. However, even after gaining the right to vote, the Royal Commission on Indigenous Peoples reported in 1996 that First Nations did not consider voting rights as a significant milestone or a means to enhance their quality of life. This demonstrates that throughout history having access to rights is one thing, but being able to utilize those rights to their fullest potential is quite another. It reflects a broader challenge beyond individual change; a systemic, community-wide endeavour to bridge the gaps between accessibility, meaningful utilization and empowerment of resources, opportunities and policies.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), during the 2021 Census, nearly 1 in 4 people were or had been a landed immigrant or Permanent Resident (PR) in Canada. Having these identifications does provide higher education opportunities for newcomers with forcibly displaced backgrounds. But are these higher education institutions fully accessible to newcomers with a forcibly displaced background, like myself? Logically, as a PR holder, yes, but in reality, it entails numerous layers of complexity.

Integration is inherently challenging. For forcibly displaced individuals, navigating the Canadian system is particularly daunting. Many who have successfully integrated and attained positions of influence remark that it can take up to twenty years to fully comprehend the system. But must it be this way for everyone? Integration should not be a one-sided process; it must evolve into a mutually beneficial relationship where both newcomers and the host community contribute and thrive together. If one takes decades to integrate, it is a proud moment for that individual because they have finally made it, despite the many wounds in their heart and soul. However, as a society, it is a moment of shame that we have made integration so difficult and a direct reflection of the unresolved systemic issues, even after millions of newcomers entering Canada. Society has continuously failed individuals for decades and then takes pride in their achievements when those achievements are solely due to the resilience, effort and hard work of the individuals or the sacrifice of their loved ones.

I am a graduate student at one of the renowned universities in Canada, learning and growing every day in personal and professional contexts. I hadn't figured it all out, but many people around me during the first few months of my arrival said that making it to university was never going to be an option for me in Canada. So, where do I get help to navigate this? As a refugee rights advocate, I often engage in conversations with other refugee & newcomer students and individuals. They tell me, “You have just been here in Canada for a short while (1 year and 9 months), making strides and are already in the university. I have been here for 5 years and don't know how to enter or access a university.” These are similar thoughts or experiences that I, my siblings, and many fellow refugees and newcomers experience. We don't know what options are available to us, what scholarships exist specifically for us, or how to decide between being a student or a breadwinner. When asked for help, we are directed to ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, professional development courses and resume writing workshops. Every time I think about my own story and hear the stories of fellow refugee students and advocates, my heart sinks. Now more than ever, universities need to take tangible and practical action together with refugee students to support our unique needs in accessing and succeeding in the education system.

Canadian universities need to openly support the recruitment of refugee students and newcomers with refugee backgrounds into their programs.

There are indeed a few incredible programs and pathways that exist, but how do I know about them if they are not made visible and well-marketed? Have you ever heard of a university holding a refugee fair or even a booth dedicated to refugee admission programs during admission season? Maybe some did, to check mark a box of completion, but they are still not visible nor effectively promoted. Available programs and scholarships are not prominently featured or discussed in social media marketing campaigns. Educational institutions have a responsibility to address global crises by supporting the people affected by them. Promoting these programs should be as robust as the promotion of regular programs. Moreover, it would be much easier if universities could utilize their resources more efficiently to provide us newcomers with mentors who are like us and come from similar backgrounds. Although most Canadian universities are private entities, there’s no harm in collaborating with other universities to streamline refugee education processes, learn from best practices, and share resources. By doing so, they can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for refugee students and newcomers, ensuring their successful integration and growth.

The initiative "Leading with Lived Experiences: Refugee Voices Shaping Higher Education’s Future" is focused on addressing the unique needs of refugee students both on campuses and in accessing educational opportunities. Through this project, refugee students and advocates are working together to propose effective solutions. I am also authoring a book that will showcase these solutions alongside my personal experiences, highlighting what has worked and what hasn’t in accessing higher education institutions with their resources.

If you are a faculty member, academic, or university involved or interested in offering programs for refugees and newcomers, I encourage you to connect with me. Collaborate for this specific purpose so that together, we can mobilize resources, make campuses more inclusive, and support the UNHCR’s 15 by 30 agenda.

From Rights to Realities - Navigating Higher Education as a Refugee in Canada

Canadian universities need to openly support the recruitment of refugee students and newcomers with refugee backgrounds into their programs.

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