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In this study, the life experiences of Canadian non-refugee immigrant women were studied to understand their pre-migration lives, the process of decision making about migrating to Canada, and their experiences after resettlement in Canada.

A qualitative methodology involving repeated in-depth person-centred interviewing (n=14) engaged five recent Canadian immigrant women. “Word of mouth” was used to recruit participants. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data set.

Loneliness became manifest given the loss of social networks and support systems immigrant women enjoyed in their home countries. Second, the presence of young children and absence of job opportunities for these women had them spending most of their time at home. Third, in some cases, the lack of professional employment opportunities forced the husband leaving Canada to find jobs – resulting in a deeper level of loneliness experienced by the immigrant women. Loneliness and isolation, and mental health issues associated with such isolation are potentially substantial, especially during the initial settlement years.

Given the small sample size, the generalizability of the study findings are limited and cannot represent the entirety of experiences of all Canadian immigrant women. The sample diversity in this study was also limited. The participants were highly educated and had professional careers in their home countries. The experience of less educated women can be different. Further research with a large sample size and diverse sample is needed.

The study offers deeper insights to the day-to-day challenges associated with the journey of migration. Understanding these concerns is important for mental health professionals, counsellors, and social service workers to offer effective treatment, counselling, and emotional support for immigrant women.

The findings further the understanding of immigrant women's experiences and the need to address relational aspects of their immigration journeys. Examining the experiences of immigrants in relation to their lives before and after coming to Canada is important to gain insight about the contemporary daily lives of individuals. A holistic understanding of immigration experiences can assist service providers, professionals, and policy makers to recognize the obstacles faced by immigrants. Suggestions for future research are also addressed in this study.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt acutely by resettled refugee communities around the world. Adjusting to life in a new country typically presents a host of challenges that must be met by newly resettled refugees, and these challenges were no doubt compounded by the pandemic. The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of resettled Rohingyan refugees living in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study uses a grounded theory approach to derive meaning from qualitative interviews conducted with 21 Rohingyan refugees. This study embodied an emic design by involving the community in the development, conduction and interpretation of the data, rooting itself in the recognition of Rohingyan expertise and understanding.

The data yielded three major themes: financial instability, disruptions in access to health care and mental health distress. In addition, two minor themes were established: disruptions to everyday life and impacts on religious practices.

Little is known about the resettlement experiences of the Rohingyan people, who are arguably some of the most marginalized among refugees. With no written language shared among Rohingyans, communication barriers exacerbate an already challenging resettlement trajectory. The insights provided through this study are key to understanding the unique needs and strengths of Rohingyan refugees and will be valuable in shaping interventions to support their successful resettlement.