Canada has long been regarded as a host country and a country in the process of building its future on immigration. It is also a refuge for many people. Despite this, in the course of the last twenty-five years, the reception of refugees in Canada has experienced a downward trend. Between 1980 and 2014, the percentage of refugees among immigrants declined from 28% to 8% (Statistics Canada). Today, however, this trend seems to have been reversed.

In 2015, the statistics showed an increase in the proportion of immigrants accepted for humanitarian reasons. That year, slightly more than 13 per cent of persons who immigrated to Canada had refugee status. The trend has continued. According to the same source, Canada welcomed approximately 320,000 immigrants in 2016, a number much higher than the annual average of 250,000. This increase is partly due to the massive influx of refugees of Syrian origin. Canada welcomed close to 30,000 Syrians in 2016; today, this number has reached 41,081.

Among these refugees, there is a high proportion of children. We know that nearly one quarter of the people who have immigrated to Canada during their childhood came as refugees [1]1Research Paper Series, Statistics Canada
Educational and Labour Market Outcomes of Childhood Immigrants by Admission Class
2016.

With so many young people and children, the schooling of refugees represents a sizeable challenge to resettlement countries like Canada.

Many children transited through refugee camps for periods that vary greatly from one individual to another. During these stays, some will have had some education, but the conditions in which this schooling took place varies enormously. In addition, the curriculum established in the camp is rarely that of the refugees’ country of origin: in most cases, the host country’s curriculum is used.

Refugee students who attend Canadian schools are therefore often on their third or fourth curriculum. Furthermore, the teaching languages and the linguistic regimes may have varied several times in the course of their education [2]2CJNSE/RCJCÉ
Enjeux éducationnels, curriculum et langue d’enseignement dans les camps de réfugiés: état des connaissances et perspectives de recherche
2015. Added to this is a trajectory punctuated by interruptions and travel [3]3Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees
The politics of higher education for refugees in a global movement for primary education
2012.

Promoting Success

In these circumstances, it can be difficult to assess the level of a student’s educational achievement, a fortiori if they suffer from psychological disorders that have impeded their development. This evaluation is crucial. Research has demonstrated that a detailed assessment of educational attainment upon a student’s arrival is necessary if one seeks to ensure integration at the appropriate level and thus increase their chance of success [4]4Ph.D Thesis in Sociology, University of Alberta
The lntegration of Refugee Youth in Canada
2001.

Family support is also essential for student integration. While this would seem to go without saying, it is often difficult for refugee parents who are themselves in a process of adaptation, learning and integration, to support their children. At the same time, the parents’ health plays an important role in the success of the students [4]4Ph.D Thesis in Sociology, University of Alberta
The lntegration of Refugee Youth in Canada
2001. For all these reasons, it is crucial to develop health and support programs in order to allow parents to take care of their children and to support them throughout their academic career.

In the classroom, the support students receive from their peers also plays an important role. Newly-arrived students benefit greatly from the assistance of their already-established comrades, in particular for language learning.

Finally, residence in an urban environment seems to have a positive effect on the school performance of refugees [4]4Ph.D Thesis in Sociology, University of Alberta
The lntegration of Refugee Youth in Canada
2001. This is explained by the multiple resources available in cities.

Different Stories

What about academic success and graduation with regards to young refugees? According to several studies, at least half of them are successful within the Canadian school system [4]4Ph.D Thesis in Sociology, University of Alberta
The lntegration of Refugee Youth in Canada
2001. At the level of secondary school education, there is little difference between refugees and other categories of immigrants. With respect to post-secondary studies, the rate of university graduation is higher among refugee students than among their third-generation  colleagues [5]5University of Toronto Press
Strangers at the gate: The "boat people's" first ten years in Canada
1999 [1]1Research Paper Series, Statistics Canada
Educational and Labour Market Outcomes of Childhood Immigrants by Admission Class
2016.

According Hou and Bonikowska [1]1Research Paper Series, Statistics Canada
Educational and Labour Market Outcomes of Childhood Immigrants by Admission Class
2016, refugee children are a resilient group and the majority of them are well integrated into Canadian society. Nonetheless, other studies show that many young refugees are in need of additional resources in order to succeed and take advantage of the opportunities of post-secondary education [6]6Alterstice
Accueillir des jeunes réfugiés en région : la formation générale aux adultes comme alternative scolaire?
2015 [4]4Ph.D Thesis in Sociology, University of Alberta
The lntegration of Refugee Youth in Canada
2001. In effect, exposure to persecution, violence and a dangerous environment can lead to disturbances likely to affect the success and graduation-rates of refugee students [5]5University of Toronto Press
Strangers at the gate: The "boat people's" first ten years in Canada
1999 [7]7Éducation et francophonie
La réussite scolaire des élèves d’origine immigrée: réflexions sur quelques enjeux à Montréal
2011 [4]4Ph.D Thesis in Sociology, University of Alberta
The lntegration of Refugee Youth in Canada
2001.

In light of these findings, it seems fair to say that there are young refugees and young war refugees.

Those who have been directly exposed to fighting, like some recently-arrived Syrian children and adolescents, need psychological support to mitigate the impact that the fighting may have had on their ability to adapt to a new environment and to learn [8]8Service social
Le stress des réfugiés et ses implications pour la pratique et la formation
1993.

Better understanding for better support

In conclusion, we note that the literature on the subject rarely deals with these problems on an individual scale, i.e. at the level of the student and his or her academic career. The qualifier “refugee” denotes first and foremost a legal status accorded by international law and provides little information on the characteristics of the student who bears that designation. Young refugees in Canada come from a multitude of regions and contexts and this heterogeneous group thus presents a variety of life histories and school trajectories.

Therefore, more granular studies of this population will be necessary in order to more clearly identify the educational needs of individual students [9]9-Canada's Journal on Refugees
Structural factors associated with higher education access for first-generation refugees in Canada: An agenda for research
2012. The demand is even more urgent insofar as several research studies have shown that a high proportion of refugee students integrated into Canadian schools have a greater need for personalized support in order to succeed.

Translation: Peter Keating