Smooth Settlement Process So Far for Syrian Refugees in Lethbridge
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LETHBRIDGE: As of last Friday, 63 people, making up eight families, have settled in Lethbridge after fleeing Syria.
The refugees have already got their Alberta Healthcare cards, social insurance numbers and are working through a language assessment program to determine how much assistance they need in learning English.
Lethbridge Family Services Immigrant Services Director Sarah Amies, noted that breaking down the language barrier is a crucial first step, “After that first year, folks are expected to have learned enough English to be able to get a good enough job to support their families. So the emphasis on English language and settlement and society in the first year, is absolutely paramount.”
While the newcomers are excited to start their lives here, Amies acknowledged that a cloud continues to hang over a number of them, “A very, very overwhelming challenge for folks is, ‘what’s going on with my extended family members or other relatives who are still trapped in Syria?’ and certainly we’ve been hearing that tale, or those who are perhaps still in refugee camps or still waiting for that vital interview with Canadian Visa officers.”
