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Refugee women are often unable to secure meaningful employment on arrival to Canada. As a result, the uptake of social assistance is common among new arrivals as a temporary provision of income whilst attending programs or upgrading skills. This study explored the factors that contribute to the use of social assistance among refugee women with a focus on the women's views and experience with the current welfare state as a tool for social protection. A modified grounded theory analysis guided our study which consisted of interviews with 20 recent refugee women and 9 settlement agency staff. The women described issues with the design and administration of social assistance which, at times, did not align with their needs. Some contrasted the conundrum of working in precarious jobs and receiving reduced social assistance payments as a consequence. Findings question prior assumptions on the use of social assistance among refugee groups. In particular, the refugee women appeared eager to work but were not afforded the same opportunities as other immigrant groups suggesting the need for social assistance schemes to adapt to the particular circumstances of refugee women to facilitate employment integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the employment integration experiences of Syrian refugee women arriving to Canada through four common refugee streams: government-assisted, private sponsorship, Blended Visa office referral, and as refugee claimants. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Syrian refugee women and key informants, we show how differences between streams – eligibility requirements, supports provided, services rendered – facilitate or act as barriers to seeking out and securing employment. The finding suggests that government-assisted refugee women struggled the most when compared with the other refugee women. Particularly, GAR women arrived with part of their families and minimal supports, affecting their mental well-being and job search. Meanwhile, the other refugee women typically arrived with the qualities (language, work experience) needed to integrate and so, were able to choose when, how, and the type of work they secured. Through this study, we propose policy recommendations that should be incorporated within the Canadian refugee system to mediate challenges and promote a positive resettlement experience for all refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]