Although the majority of newcomers benefit from Canada’s government-funded settlement assistance, many are unaware of how to take advantage of them.

For Quebec-bound newcomers, both Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation, and Integration (MIFI) offer settlement services starting even before they arrive.

According to the IRCC’s first-ever Settlement Outcomes Report, these services are truly beneficial. The data in the paper was extrapolated from the 2018 and 2019 Newcomer Outcomes Surveys. A total of 120,897 newcomers were polled in this study. There were 55,370 settlement program participants and 65,527 non-participants among them.

Almost everyone who got assistance felt they were helpful, and the majority agreed that they aided them in their efforts to settle in Canada.

Timing has a role in the success of settlement services. Someone who has already arrived in Canada, for example, will not benefit from pre-arrival assistance. Roughly 70% of those surveyed who did not receive settlement services claimed they were unaware of them, and about a quarter of those who did indicate they had no idea how to use them.

The majority of respondents who said they had no trouble getting help were connected via federally supported referral programs, on the other hand. In their first year, about 23% of newcomers used them.

Availing Settlement Services through Canada

Settlement services are available from different levels of government and can assist you even before you arrive in Canada. On their website, the IRCC mentions roughly 1,259 people. These pre-arrival services are only available to approve permanent residents outside of Canada, not visitors.

On a federal level, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides services to assist you in preparing to live in Canada. In China, India, and the Philippines, in-person services are available, however, most have apparently shifted online owing to the pandemic. These resources can help you find out about things like healthcare, housing, and transportation in Canada. They may also be able to direct you to more particular community services if you so desire.

The IRCC also offers a number of services to assist you in preparing to work in Canada. These tools can assist you in finding work in Canada, writing a résumé, and having your qualifications recognized. For people working in design, engineering, trades, finance, technology, construction, nursing, and other fields, there are also some industry-specific resources.

Links to province-specific settlement programs are also available on the federal website.

Tools to Avail such Services

On its website, the IRCC also has a tool that can assist newcomers in locating resources that will meet their individual needs. It does not include Quebec settlement services because the province has its own immigration system and tools in French, such as a search tool for settlement services.

Different Types of Canadian Settlement Services

Translation, child care, and transportation are examples of support services. They are critical for those who are unable to access IRCC Settlement Programs due to barriers. Some persons might be unable to use settlement services if they were not available.

Needs evaluations assist immigrants in determining what assistance they require to assist them in settling in and how to obtain them. Only about 23% of clients utilize them, but according to the IRCC analysis, if more immigrants used them, they would be better connected to services. It would also give IRCC a better grasp of the needs of newcomers, according to the paper.

Information services provide information to IRCC clients to assist them in settling in. Although most settlement service clients say they acquire information from their friends, settlement service providers are the second most common source of information. The Internet was the most popular source of information among non-clients, but it was the least used by clients.

Immigrants can benefit from language training to improve their language skills. The majority of IRCC’s money is spent on language teaching. It is an important aspect of an immigrant’s success in Canada. Not only does it assist immigrants in finding work and making connections with locals, but it is also required for citizenship applicants to have a basic command of the English or French language.

Immigrants can use employment services to help them prepare for work in Canada. Work placements, mentorship, license and certification preparation, networking opportunities, job search skills and matching services, and employment counseling are just a few of the long- and short-term services available.

Immigrants can use community services to make friends and participate in local activities. Community services were the second least used program after job services. Approximately 60% of individuals who used them said they met close friends through community organizations.