Situational differences between immigrant and refugee clients

When working with immigrant and refugee clients, it is important to understand key differences caused by their migration experiences as outlined in the table below. This will help service providers better understand their clients' particular situations and needs.

• 

  Immigrants

  • Choose to leave their homeland and settle in a country of their choice.
  • Pick comfortable travel method and pack the possessions they wish to take.
  • Sell or dispose of possessions they don't wish to take.
  • Have time to prepare emotionally for their departure and to say farewell to friends and family appropriately.
  • Bring travel documents, passports and other documentation.
  • Usually emigrate with their families.
  • Depart for their new country usually with family, knowing they can return to their homeland for visits or return permanently if they cannot settle.
  • Usually are well-prepared and well-motivated to settle in a new country; often will have found out about schools, employment and local conditions before leaving their homeland.
  • Are less likely to encounter negative attitudes in their resettlement country due to their better levels of health, education and economic independence.
• 

  Refugees

  • Do not choose to leave their homeland; they flee in response to a crisis and have little choice of destination.
  • Have no time to pack or to distribute possessions; almost everything is left behind.
  • Are unprepared emotionally for leaving due to their hurried, often secret departure; may not have time to say farewell to loved ones.
  • Often flee without any documentation whatsoever.
  • Must often leave family members behind; although they dream of returning home, they know this is unlikely to happen.
  • Arrive in their new country ill-prepared and often traumatized.
  • Have little in the way of possessions and financial resources.
  • Are often debilitated by a pervading sense of loss, grief, worry and guilt about the family left behind.
  • May experience stigma and prejudice in their resettlement country in relation to cultural differences, disease prevalence, low education levels and perceived burdening of the welfare system.
(Gajardo, 2007)