Nova Scotia Care Home Withdraws Job Offers from Kakuma Refugees After Three-Year Wait
Kakuma, 15 May 2026
Northwood, a Nova Scotia continuing care organisation, has rescinded employment offers to refugees from Kenya’s Kakuma camp, leaving dozens stranded after years of preparation. The cancellations affect participants in Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot programme, with some refugees having waited since 2021 for their opportunity. Juma Asukulu Shauri lost 11.3 kilograms from stress after learning his offer was withdrawn in August 2025, describing severe depression and trauma from the decision.
Years of Hope Dashed by Last-Minute Withdrawals
The job offers were originally extended between September 2022 and December 2023 as part of the federal Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot programme, designed to provide refugees with employment-based pathways to Canada [1]. However, on 11 August 2025, Northwood rescinded all offers, leaving refugees who had spent years preparing for new lives in uncertainty [1]. The affected individuals include Juma Asukulu Shauri, a 33-year-old refugee who has lived in Kakuma camp for 16 years and had been waiting since applying in 2021 [1]. Another affected refugee, Idris Abussin Adam, originally from Sudan, has spent 14 years at Kakuma and had been approved to work as a personal care worker at Northwood [1]. Following the cancellation news, Shauri described experiencing severe trauma, stating: ‘After hearing that information, I was very traumatised. Even up to now, I’m depressed’ [1]. The stress manifested physically, with Shauri losing nearly 11.3 kilograms and finding the words ‘Canada’ and ‘Northwood’ triggering [1].
Impact on Families and Daily Life at Kakuma
The emotional toll extends beyond individual refugees to their families, with Adam’s daughter regularly asking when they would travel to Canada [1]. Adam expressed mixed emotions about the situation, saying: ‘I was very excited to go to Canada and rebuild my life…. I still have hope’ [1]. The cancelled opportunities represent a significant setback for residents of Kakuma camp, which as of March 2026 houses 313,247 people seeking resettlement opportunities [1]. RefugePoint, the organisation that facilitated the partnership, has severed ties with Northwood following the employer’s decision [1]. Jennifer Wilson, RefugePoint’s chief operating officer, condemned the development, stating: ‘This is just not an acceptable development with an employer’ [1].
Employer’s Response and Programme Evaluation
Northwood’s director of marketing and communications, Callie Gallant, defended the organisation’s position, asserting that the job offers were extended ‘in good faith’ several years ago [1]. However, the company provided no detailed explanation for the sudden withdrawal of offers that had been in place for nearly three years [1]. The incident has highlighted potential weaknesses in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot programme, which aims to create alternative pathways for refugee resettlement through employment opportunities [1]. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is currently conducting an evaluation of the EMPP and plans to release the results publicly in autumn 2026 [1].
Broader Implications for Refugee Resettlement
The Northwood case underscores the vulnerability of refugees who depend on employer-sponsored programmes for resettlement opportunities [1]. The affected individuals at Kakuma camp now face renewed uncertainty about their futures, having invested significant time and emotional energy in preparing for life in Canada [1]. The incident also raises questions about the reliability of employer commitments within federal immigration programmes and the need for stronger safeguards to protect refugees from last-minute cancellations [1]. As the government evaluation of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot continues, the experiences of Shauri, Adam, and other affected refugees may influence future policy decisions regarding employer-sponsored refugee resettlement [1].