Canada is giving almost $12 million in funding to a British Columbia-based social service agency to offer pre-arrival settlement services to future immigrants, temporary workers and international students.
“Pre-arrival services provide permanent residents with the resources to make informed decisions about their new life in Canada,” said International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan,
“This new funding will deliver consistent, high-quality, client-centred services to people around the world. With our investment, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. can continue supporting the needs of newcomers by offering helpful online and in-person services.”
The funding announcement on Friday, May 12, was a specific dispersal of some of the $65 million pledged the previous day to 15 organizations across Canada for immigrant settlement services.
With its 40 service locations across Canada and in Asia, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. offers programs and services to foreign nationals and families preparing for Canada, temporary residents, permanent residents and those who are already Canadian citizens.
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“Providing services to newcomers before they arrive in Canada is critical to successful integration,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
“These services help newcomers make decisions about the life they want to live in Canada as early as possible in their immigration journey and helps them contribute to the economy more quickly. The success of newcomers in Canada is because of the hard work and efforts of groups like S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Ensuring that early success is critical to our economy and ensuring long-term prosperity for Canada and its people.”
During a visit to S.U.C.C.E.S.S., one of 15 Ottawa-funded service providers that offer information, orientation, and referrals to newcomers in Canada, Sajjan discussed with community organizers the information they provide about the Canadian workplace, soft skills development, and employment counselling, as well as services to help refugees prepare for jobs in Canada.
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“S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is honoured to be recognized as a key pre-arrival service provider and we’re proud to continue delivering services to ensure newcomers are better equipped to settle in Canada,” said Queenie Choo, the organization’s chief executive officer.
“Since 2008, our Active Engagement and Integration Project (AEIP) has delivered pre-arrival settlement services to more than 41,000 newcomers from 155 countries. Our program continues to adapt to better serve new arrivals. We recently developed mental health webinars and self-care kits to help clients cope with immigration challenges and we’re grateful for the opportunity to assist even more newcomers in partnership with IRCC in future.”
Ottawa YMCA Also Getting $1.2m For Pre-Arrival Services
With the latest funding for settlement services announced this month, the YMCA of the National Capital Region is also getting $1.2 million to continue delivering its pre-arrival services to new immigrants which can be accessed online and in-person.
Those pre-arrival services allow newcomers to get information about such things as the Canadian workplace, employment counselling and soft skills development.
“Deciding to move to a new country is perhaps one of the biggest decisions a person will make in their life. We are thrilled to see the substantial investment made from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada into pre-arrival services,” said Bob Gallagher, president and CEO of the YMCA of the National Capital Region.
“Investments like these allow the YMCA to continue providing specialized information and orientation about the skilled trades, engineering and construction sectors, and help individuals ease their transition to Canada.”
Through its pre-arrival services offered through organizations in British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario and abroad, the IRCC attempts to help in the economic and social integration of newcomers by:
- directly connecting clients with the information and services they need through a streamlined, easy-to-navigate process;
- encouraging newcomers to apply for recognition of their foreign credentials before they arrive, if needed, and;
- linking clients to federal and provincial settlement services in Canada.
Last year, Canada welcomed a record-breaking 437,540 new permanent residents, the latest IRCC data reveals.
In the first three months of this year, another 145,330 new permanent residents have been welcomed to the country.
In its 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan, Ottawa has planned for 465,000 new permanent residents for this year, 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and another 500,000 in 2025.