Social work with asylum seekers in Canada: The case for social justice.

This article discusses some of the most important factors of oppression related to international and Canadian policy and practices and the issues that ought to be addressed by social work practitioners. To understand the plight of asylum seekers in Canada, social workers have to have a general understanding of the international context as it relates to asylum seekers, and the policies and practices that have been put in place. It also means understanding policies and practices in Canada that have a direct impact on the lives of asylum seekers both as a marginalized group and as individuals seeking help. Asylum seekers find themselves part of an international scene which comprises large migration movements and efforts by nation-states to stop the flow of unwanted migrants. The article informs that until the early 1990s Canada perceived itself as a country of resettlement and not as a country of first asylum. Canada considered refugees selected overseas or privately sponsored to be the most important group of refugees to resettle. Faced with large migration movements and increasing asylum claims, Canada has now recognizes that asylum seekers are an important subset of refugees entering the country.