The Impact of Non-Governmental Organizations and Language Skills on the Employability of Refugee Claimants: Evidence from Quebec

ABSTRACT/RESUME Refugee claimants find themselves in a precarious situation from the moment of their arrival due to the period of uncertainty accompanying their non-regularized status. Faced with the possibility of being deported, one can well understand the settlement problems confronting these individuals. Their socio-economic settlement depends not only on their personal qualities, but also on the networks they create with people and organizations in the host society. Community organizations (NGOs) that provide help are a part of the refugee claimant's vast network which can assist this group of insecure and marginalized individuals. The present analysis begins by examining the determining factors that lead refugee claimants to make their first contact with this kind of NGO, and the effect this contact subsequently has on the insertion process (first job and language courses). Secondly, it examines the effect of pre- and post-migration knowledge of the languages customarily used in Quebec on access to employment. This wil l enable us to draw out the Francization mechanisms in play. Statistical analysis (Cox regression) is carried out on a cohort of refugee claimants who arrived in 1994 and were regularized before March 1997, a group we monitored from the moment they made their application for refugee status (n = 407). Les revendicateurs du statut de refugie sont places dans une situation precaire des leur arrivee au pays cause de la periode d'incertitude de leurs statuts non regularises. Confrontes a la possibilite d'un renvoi, on comprendra les difficultes d'establissement encourues par ces individus. Nous savons, de plus, que l'establissement socio-economique ne depend pas seulement de leurs caracterisiques personnelles mais aussi des reseaux qu'ils tissent avec les personnes et les organisations de la societe d'accueil. Les organisations communautaires (ONG) vocation d'aide font partie de ce vaste reseau pouvant preter main-forte ce groupe d'immigrants precarises et marginalises. La presente analyse examine les determinants amenant les requerants du statut de refugie un premier contact avec ce type d'ONG et l'effet de ce contact sur la suite de l'insertion. Dans un second temps, elle regarde l'effet de la connaissance pre-migratoire et post-migratoire des langues d'usage du Quebec sur l'access l' emploi. Elle nous perme ttra de faire ressortir les mecanismes de francisation a l'aeuvre. Des analyses statistiques du type de regression de survie sont realises sur une cohorte de revendicateurs du statut de refugies arrives en 1994 et regularises avant mars 1997 que nous avons suivis depuis le depot de la demande du statut de refugie (n = 407). INTRODUCTION The settlement process of refugee claimants differs considerably from that of regular immigrants (independent, family and refugees). In many cases, these are people under duress given that they fled their country and are asking the host country for protection. The voyage, only rarely organized, is typically both physically and psychologically trying, and is frequently made in dangerous conditions. Often tired, anxious and disoriented after their journey, these individuals claim refugee status in the hope of settling in the host country. Following the submission of their application form, they must additionally prepare for a hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), which typically takes seven months, (1) though some waiting. periods exceed thirty-six months. (2) Once this has been accomplished, they must also obtain permanent residence, which prolongs the waiting period another twenty-two months (median time). Plunged into a marginalizing and insecure situation, they go, from being unsure whethe r they will obtain refugee status to an equally uncertain wait for permanent residence. Despite these hurdles, it is during this period that they must make an effort to settle themselves. …

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