Family Separation and Reunification of Newcomers in Toronto

Overview What is family separation and reunification? Historically, when immigrating to Canada, one family member often came first to assess opportunities, find a job, and establish a foundation, all the while sending remittances back home. After this initial period, other family members followed from the country of origin. In contemporary Canada, the forms of these family separations and reunifications (FSR) are more varied and prolonged than they have been in the past (Bernhard et al., 2008). Indeed, FSR is becoming a new normal for newcomers to Canada, a country with a high immigration rate.