Settlement and Integration Policies in Federal Contexts: The Case of Refugees in Canada and Brazil

The scholarly literature highlights that refugees face barriers accessing public services due to cultural, language and communication differences, financial constraints and lack of information, which can be reinforced by variations in service coverage and provision, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and complex intergovernmental relations and governance arrangements, common in federal systems. This article seeks to analyse Brazil and Canada to understand the implications of intergovernmental relations, particularly the role of local governments in settlement and integration policies. The analysis of documents and in-depth interviews highlights that, although Canada is highly decentralized, the federal government has a stronger role in guaranteeing equal access to services than in Brazil. Nevertheless, the lack of coordination among governments in both countries reinforces certain barriers, which have been overcome by an increasing role of municipalities and local actors in this policy field.