IRCC Settlement & Integration Program
About IRCC Program
Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, this program offers settlement and integration services to IRCC eligible clients in the city of Surrey, North Delta and White Rock with the overall goal to ensure that the settlement and integration needs of newcomers and refugees are met in order to enhance their social and economic integration.
Support Services
- Care for Newcomer Children: Free child-minding services are provided to the eligible clients at the primary location in Surrey while they access services.
- Transportation: Provision of bus tickets to encourage the low-income newcomers to take the public transportation in order to participate in informational activities to reach their short and long-term goals of integration.
Main Services
Needs Assessment and Referrals
Eligible newcomers receive needs and assets assessment to address the challenges they face to settle and integrate into Canadian Society. Clients with more complex transitional issues are assisted by developing a comprehensive settlement plan to address their individualized needs and barriers.
Information and Orientation – One-on-One
Newcomers are provided with necessary, accurate and customized information related to settlement issues on one-on one basis to facilitate informed decision making through an understanding of Canadian systems.
Information and Orientation – Group
- Digital Literacy Sessions: These sessions teach clients computer skills necessary to access information about and navigate government/community resources and services such as information about rental housing, job search sites and online document use, open bank accounts, apply for jobs and register for various programs.
- Financial Literacy Sessions: These sessions provide clients basic banking skills such as opening accounts, calculating interest rates, mortgage applications, ATM use, online banking, importance of a good credit rating as well as rights and responsibilities as consumers of financial services.
- Domestic Violence and Women’s Rights Workshops: Newcomer women learn about Canadian gender equality rights, laws against domestic violence, access to educational opportunities, clinics and acquire additional skills such as parenting. They will acquire confidence and capability to stand up to maltreatment and exert their legal rights by navigating community and government resources and services.
- Canadian Citizenship and Civic Engagement: Information sessions help adult newcomers prepare for the citizenship test by utilizing the study guide “Discover Canada” including test questions, online videos and mock tests to prepare them for the final test and enhanced civic involvement.
- Health and Well-being Workshops: Health and Well-being presentations to newcomers encourage them to make healthy lifestyle choices to prevent and manage chronic health conditions. Topics include nutrition, physical activity, stress relief therapies, navigating the health system including working with health professionals. Newcomers will learn to maintain a healthy lifestyle by taking care of their diet, performing physical activities, maintaining stable emotions, dealing with conflict, stress management, and using digital apps to monitor their health.
- Workshops for Pregnant Refugee Women: Through these workshops, pregnant newcomer women learn about issues/challenges during and after pregnancy. Topics of discussion will include: care of the newborn, immunization, self-care, resources, pregnancy related physical and mental health issues, physical activity and eligibility for maternity benefits etc. and services provided by community-based agencies available for their assistance.
- New Life in Canada- Refugee Clients: Through these information and orientation sessions, refugee clients are introduced to the aspects of Canadian life specifically important to them so that they can gain basic knowledge and understanding of Canadian cultural and social values as well as community /government services and resources available to address the barriers faced by them.
Employment Related Services
- Mentoring: Professionally skilled newcomers are matched with BC professionals to receive guidance in their professional pursuits about the requirements of the targeted job, necessary educational enhancement and job search process. They will also be connected with appropriate regulatory bodies and professional associations.
- Workplace Language Cultural Training for Newcomer Job-seekers: Through this activity, clients will learn the vocabulary and skills for individual job searches such as resume writing, cover letter, interview practice, job search methods, importance of volunteering, networking and education opportunities including Canadian Workplace safety and Employment Standard Act.
Eligibility Criteria
Immigration Status + Current resident of Lower mainland, BC
- Permanent Residents of Canada
- Protected Persons as defined in Section 95 of IRPA
- Individuals who have been selected, inside or outside Canada, to become permanent residents (pending verifications) and who have been informed, by a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- Convention refugees and protected persons outside Canada who have been selected for resettlement in Canada by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
- Temporary Foreign Workers who hold or received approval of a work permit under section 112 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) or received initial approval for permanent residence under section 113 of the IRPR are eligible for Settlement Services.
At the time of client intake, the client is requested to produce a documentary evidence of the immigration status such as PR Card or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CPR) which is fed into a funder-provided electronic data intake system for validation. Once validated and eligibility established, the person served is required to provide personal information such as name, address, contact number, date of birth etc.
Contact Information
IRCC Program
Funded By
