Settlement services for newcomers
Citizenship and Immigration Canada works with organizations, both overseas and in Canada, who provide settlement services to immigrants. These settlement services include:
- Information and orientation: Newcomers need information about Canada and the community in which they are settling or intend to settle. Information can be provided through the Web, orientation sessions overseas and information sessions or classes after arriving in Canada.
- Language and skills development: Official language training is a key settlement service. Organizations that provide this training use consistent standards for teaching and evaluating official language proficiency. The ability to speak one of Canada’s official languages is key to success, not only in the labour market, but also for life outside of work. Once this is achieved, many service providers also support newcomers in developing other skills that can help them contribute to Canada economically, socially and culturally.
- Labour market participation: The majority of newcomers come to Canada intending to enter the labour market. Skilled newcomers can take over ten years to reach the employment rate of the Canadian-born. To help newcomers participate in the labour market, many organizations offer such activities as job search skills, networking, internships, mentorships or work placements.
- Community connections: Recognizing the rights and responsibilities of both newcomers and Canadian citizens, some service providers offer cultural awareness and antiracism initiatives. In addition, some service providers continue to build on the successful Host program, which matches newcomers with Canadian volunteers to assist in settlement.
- Needs assessments and referrals: Assessing the needs of newcomers will be an increasingly important and ongoing part of delivering settlement services funded by CIC.
- Support services: CIC provides funding for support services that act as “enablers” for newcomers to participate fully in other settlement services (e.g., language training). This category includes, for example, child minding (while the parent is participating in settlement programs), accommodation for clients with disabilities and assistance with transportation to settlement programs. Support services also include short-term or “transitional” settlement services that deal with immediate needs and crises, enabling newcomers to participate in more intensive services. These include reception services at a port of entry, translation and interpretation services (for documents from the country of origin, for example), assistance in arranging accommodation and referrals to counselling.