The International Migration Research Centre (IMRC) at Wilfrid Laurier University serves as a node of excellence in scholarship and research, social and cultural debate and policy formulation pertaining to international migration. The IMRC's mission is to create platforms for debate, research, policy analysis, community engagement, and proposal development related to international migration and mobility at global, national, regional and local scales.

Our research is relevant to practice and policymaking in the areas of international governance of migration, mobilities, critical border issues, diaspora and development, displacement, labour migration, transnationalism, human security, and migrants’ human and labor rights. The IMRC fosters research in new policy development and alternative models and practices of managing temporary, circular and permanent forms of international migration. The IMRC also aims to impart the findings and implications of this research to government and other enabling and intermediary organizations working in migration and refugee studies.

Partnerships

IMRC members include faculty and students from Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and/or the Balsillie School of International Affairs, as well as researchers from across Canada and international scholars with an interest in international migration research. Our partnerships extend to community members, policymakers, non-governmental representatives and other organizations who are involved in work related to immigrants or migration more broadly, under our four pillars. We also maintain international partnerships and collaborations.

Initiatives

The IMRC is a place where scholars, policy makers, service providers and other community partners come together. The IMRC hosts and co-sponsors numerous talks, events, and conferences throughout the year, including the Annual Kerry Preibisch Lecture Series, lunchtime lectures, and coffee hours.

The IMRC develops and sponsors high-quality research linkages with scholars and students, and shares the implications of this research with non-governmental and governmental actors and representatives from across Canada and around the world.