Immigrant and Refugee Services, within the Corps Ministries Department seeks to bring focus to and facilitate development of these ministries by:

• Monitoring organizational and cross cultural compatibilities  
• Promoting cultural diversity inclusion in existing Salvation Army produced materials, publications and events  
• Educating in cross cultural awareness and appropriate response  
• Marketing potential for ministry opportunities in high immigrant receiving area
• Supporting DHQs and local ministry units with consultation, workshops and resource materials, as requested
• Managing the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program  

Approximately a quarter of a million immigrants are coming to Canada each year. This presents to us, as people in ministry, both challenge and opportunity. Often newcomers to Canada are vulnerable, easily taken advantage of simply because they do not know the language or Canadian ways; do not know their rights and responsibilities in their new home; do not know legalities surrounding immigration, family, housing, employment etc. Some who come are Christians. Others have never had opportunity to hear about Jesus. Studies have shown that they are most open to the gospel during their first weeks in Canada .

Canada is a signatory country to the 1951 Geneva Convention for Refugees. Approximately thirty thousand refugees are received by Canada as permanent residents each year. The Salvation Army in this territory is involved with refugees who have come seeking safety and protection. Some have been members of The Salvation Army in their country of origin. For others, The Salvation Army has previously been unknown.

There are three main categories of refugees coming to Canada: Except for those in ‘Source Countries’ identified each year by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, all have fled their country of origin, seeking safety and protection, resettlement in Canada. For many, it is a challenging, dehumanizing journey.

There are many myths surrounding refugees. Often what we see/hear in the media gives a very narrow perspective of who refugees are. In fact, many refugees have been highly educated, persons of influence in their country of origin.