Accessing PSE for Non-Status and Precarious Migrant Youth

Changes to the Refugee System Key elements of Refugee Reform include: New classes of claimants depending on their country of origin (DCOs) Shortened timelines for claim process – disproportionately affects vulnerable communities Access to appeals severely reduced No access to Humanitarian and Compassionate applications and PRRAs for one year after receiving a negative decision

Precarious Migrant Youth With the recent changes in Canadian immigration there are many emerging areas of precarious status There are an increasing number of people unable to access post secondary education because of issues related to their “immigration status” These include visitors ineligible for refugee status, undocumented youth, victims and survivors of human trafficking, and others facing delays in receiving permanent residency

Accessing Education Without Status In Ontario, all children under the age of 18 have the legal right to attend school. It is illegal for any school to refuse to admit a child (<18 years) on the sole basis of citizenship status Thus, non-status youth are legally entitled to access primary and secondary education, BUT, they are often still denied access based on their immigration status, for lacking documentation, or lack of OHIP coverage

Accessing Education Without Status Once students turn 18 or graduate high school, they find themselves in a situation of limbo... They are barred from continuing their current trajectory to higher education, and achieving their professional goals, despite aspirations

Barriers to Education The multiple barriers newcomer youth face when accessing PSE (language barriers, recognition of foreign credentials, experiential barriers, etc) are amplified for those with precarious status Non-status youth face admissibility barriers, added financial barriers and the threat of deportation

Avenues to Education Options for non-status populations wanting to access PSE are extremely limited (CRS at York, academic bridging programs at colleges, etc) More multi-sectoral collaboration needs to be done to promote full accessibility for precarious migrant youth

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