I met someone I hadn't seen in 6 years, and there was much to catch up on. We last saw each other in our home country; now, we live in Canada. We started talking, and I (M35) told him (M45) how hard it had been for us (wife 5yo daughter) to be here as newcomers. I explained to him I came as an international student in 2021 and had paid for college with my savings and part-time jobs. The first year was about making ends meet; we had to live in a basement unit (not the best one), and there was only a little left for entertainment.Today, we're grateful that our life has significantly improved; I paid for college, and we could move out.

Then, he shared his story. He arrived with his wife (F42) and son (M4), but unlike us, he came as a refugee because some of his friends had done the same in the past; apparently, it is a common thing to do and "easy" to pull off. He said he didn't feel like selling his property back home (which means he had the economic means and could've come as a student) and came to see if he liked it. Everything has been hard for him because his refugee status prevents him from choosing where to live or even what to do. He feels he gave away his freedom, and his family struggles to settle in.

I transitioned from being infuriated initially to feeling glad and relieved he was going through that. Genuine refugees need the benefits Canada offers, and here I was, facing this douchebag pretending to be one.

So, AITA?