Approximately 114,000 Lhotsampa people, also known as Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees, have been resettled in eight Western countries, including Canada. The resettlement process presents many challenges, including limited access to housing, employment, education, and healthcare. This systematic review critically examines the available literature on Bhutanese refugees, highlighting the resettlement barriers they face in Canada. Using predefined inclusion criteria, we searched multiple academic databases for studies published between 2007 and 2023. Fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria and were thematically analyzed. We adopted an intersectional theoretical framework to examine how multiple overlapping social identities, such as race, gender, and migration status, shape the resettlement experiences. Four overarching themes emerged: 1) struggles and vulnerabilities; 2) systemic or institutional barriers; 3) strengths and resilience; 4) community and belonging as coping strategies. Our findings underscore the need for culturally informed and community-based services to better support Bhutanese refugees in Canada and promote equitable resettlement outcomes.
Keywords: Bhutanese refugees; Lhotshampa; resettlement challenges; intersectionality; resilience; community development; Canada.
Reference
Karki, K., Khatiwada, K., Angelica, J. (2025). Resettlement experiences of Bhutanese refugees in Canada: A review of the literature. Journal of International Migration and Border Studies. DOI: 10.1504/IJMBS.2025.10072170