Integration has been explored through research, policy and practice as a framework for gauging the extent to which refugees successfully navigate the economic, social and cultural dynamics of their new country; however, the definition and assessment of integration still remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to: (i) operationalize an integration framework to create a reliable and valid survey to assess refugee integration, (ii) test the use of a community-based participatory research (CPBR) model (the ‘Community Connector’ (CC) model) with refugees and (iii) gain insights into the integration process of newly resettled refugees with the use of the survey and CC model. The Refugee Integration Survey and Evaluation (RISE) survey was developed and administered orally to 465 newly arrived adult refugees by caseworkers. Follow-up survey data was collected annually over the course of three additional years using the CC model. The survey was deemed reliable and valid. The CC model led to a 70 per cent response rate three years after baseline data collection. On average, the Overall Integration score increased steadily over time. The implications of this study are that a gap in the literature was addressed and the RISE survey can play a key role in understanding the salient integration factors that could be used by receiving countries to promote integration and help ensure the successful resettlement of refugees around the world.