Summary

Migration includes many stressors during all stages (pre-, during, and post-migration). Many of those stressors can be traumatic and are referred to as “migration-related trauma.” People experience trauma from a very individualized perspective owing to a combination of factors, including personality, family and personal values, and cultural norms.

Forced migration is highly correlated with migration-related trauma, but forced migration is a debated concept. International and national laws currently recognize migrants forced to move because of political conflict. Those migrants are called refugees. People forced to move because of other factors, such as climate change, are not yet recognized in any international laws. Many scholars, policymakers, and forced-migration advocates think that environmental factors should be recognized as drivers of forced migration.

Canada has refugee resettlement programs specifically structured to support the most vulnerable refugees, often those who have experienced significant migration-related trauma. There are many stakeholders involved in Canada’s refugee resettlement programs. Collaboration among them can require extra coordination to prevent stakeholders themselves from creating further stressors for the newcomers they are supporting. Newcomers with migration-related trauma experiences may have significant challenges accessing mental health supports in Canada because of language barriers, location of services, or mental health professionals’ level of experience with war or torture-related trauma. “Resilient” is a term used to describe migrants who appear to cope and recover from traumatic experiences. Resilience can come from personality, social networks, stable relationships, and stable living conditions. Post-migration stressors have the strongest correlation with newcomer mental health.