A Complementary Admission Stream for Displaced Students

At Refugee Pathways and Integration Canada Inc., we believe education is a powerful and practical response to displacement. Our Education Pathways program, soon to be formalized as the Displaced Scholars Pilot provides a structured, protection-sensitive route for refugee and displaced students to pursue post-secondary education in Canada, with a pathway to long-term legal stay and permanent residency. This initiative reflects our commitment to expanding durable solutions beyond traditional resettlement by supporting eligible learners through lawful academic migration.

Complementary Pathways in Practice

Education Pathways operate within the framework of complementary refugee admission, regular immigration programs adapted to meet the protection needs of displaced individuals. In Canada, this includes the use of study permits and public policy mechanisms under section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. These tools allow for the lawful admission of refugees who meet academic qualifications but do not fall under conventional refugee resettlement categories. Canada's leadership in this area is reflected in the development of the forthcoming Displaced Scholars Pilot, a federal public policy stream designed to facilitate access to study permits and post-secondary opportunities for refugee students.

Learn more from IRCC’s 2024 Deputy Minister Transition Binder:https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/transition-binders/deputy-minister-2024/humanitarian-programs.html

Our Role and Impact

RefPIC works across the entire trajectory of refugee student mobility. We identify academically qualified refugee candidates, assist with institutional applications, support visa and travel preparation, and coordinate local sponsorship and integration support after arrival. Our team remains engaged to ensure academic retention, cultural orientation, and emotional well-being. Through this program, we help bridge the gap between displacement and opportunity, turning protection needs into potential.

A Global Movement

Globally, only 7% of refugees access higher education, compared to over 40% among non-refugee populations. Canada’s efforts form part of a broader global agenda to close this gap, as outlined in UNHCR’s 15by30 strategy, which aims to raise refugee higher education access to 15% by 2030. Complementary education pathways are supported by a range of international actors and platforms:

• UNHCR’s Education Pathways

  Overview:https://www.unhcr.org/what-we-do/build-better-futures/solutions/complementary-pathways/education-pathways

• Global Task Force on Third Country Education Pathways:https://edpathways.org/

• WUSC & Peer-Supported Sponsorship Model (Manual):https://www.unhcr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/WUSC-Manual-2018.pdf

• UNHCR and partners highlight that these education pathways must be grounded in long-term legal solutions, not short-term study permits, and must include safeguards to protect refugee students throughout their academic journey.

Toward the Displaced Scholars Pilot

As Canada finalizes the Displaced Scholars Pilot, RefPIC is preparing to supports this effort, working with sponsors, institutions, and displaced learners to ensure equitable access and successful integration. Our work builds on decades of practice from Canadian models like the WUSC Student Refugee Program, and incorporates insights from international partners like Mexico’s Habesha Project.

This program reflects our legal mandate to:

Through education, we are not only building scholars, we are cultivating future leaders, innovators, and contributors to Canadian society.

To learn more, refer a student, or become a partner, visit:https://www.refugeecanada.org/complementary-pathways/education-pathways