Bridging the gap: understanding the retention experiences of asylum seekers & refugees in Newfoundland and Labrador

This study investigates the integration, well-being, and long-term retention experiences of asylum seekers and refugees in Newfoundland and Labrador, a province often overlooked in Canadian migration literature. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, one asylum-seeker and one refugee, the study examines how institutional constraints and grassroots innovations co-produce the everyday realities of newcomer life in a smaller urban population, non-metropolitan. Findings reveal that while formal policies frequently exclude asylum seekers from core services, local actors compensate through flexible, trust-based interventions such as one-on-one settlement planning, embedded service delivery, occupation-specific language instruction, and peer-led support networks. These practices, often operating outside formal eligibility frameworks, reflect an ecosystem logic that prioritizes care, continuity, and cultural responsiveness. The study highlights digital inequity, housing insecurity, and credential recognition as key structural barriers, while also showcasing emerging models of trauma-informed, gender-responsive, and community-rooted integration. The study contributes to Canadian refugee policies and migration studies by calling for policy reforms that embed flexibility, enhance coordination, and affirm the legitimacy of informal and refugee-led initiatives. Ultimately, the study argues that Newfoundland and Labrador's evolving practices, though fragmented and under-resourced, offer valuable insights for inclusive, sustainable settlement in both rural and urban contexts.