Just landed in Canada and Looking to settle in as smoothly as possible ? Well, let me tell you, you’ve come to the right place!
While Canada has been one of the most welcoming countries to international students, immigrants and other refugees for over a decade, the process of settling in Canada and leading the successful life they dream of can be both challenging and exciting. With the country recently taking measures to reverse its population growth in the last two years and maintain a balance, many newcomers are left wondering whether they are checking all the boxes for a successful life in Canada.
There’s no doubt that these newcomers face immense pressure and go to great lengths to make their dreams a reality. However, amidst navigating immigration policies, applying for jobs, finding a place to live, adjusting to a new culture, and basically trying to settle in, many of them often overlook the support and resources available to help make all of this, and their life in Canada, much easier.
What are Settlement Programs?
Government settlement programs are designed to address the unique needs of international students, immigrants and refugees, helping them overcome challenges and build successful lives in Canada. As a nation built by immigrants, Canada has established and funded a network of communities that provide these settlement services.
These programs have been in effect since the 1990s, and yet there still remain significant gaps in awareness among newcomers. The awareness rate of these programs is around 68% among all newcomers, according to the Settlement Outcomes Report of 2023.
In this article, we’ll explore some of these lesser-known government programs that can help you settle in Canada smoothly.
What are the Services Offered by Settlement Programs?
- Information and Orientation: Newcomers receive information about Canadian culture, laws, and customs. They also get help with practical skills like opening a bank account, finding housing, and navigating healthcare.
- Language Training: Language classes such as CLIC, LINC, and ESL help newcomers learn English or French, the two official languages of Canada. These classes are funded by IRCC or a provincial government body and are generally free for newcomers.
- Job Search Assistance: Settlement services often assist newcomers with employment, providing resources like resume writing, mock interviews, and language training. Additional support may include specialized language training, youth programs for internships, and guidance on how to start a business.
- Legal Aid Services: Community Legal Aid Clinics (CLCs) provide free civil legal services to eligible individuals, including consultation, representation, and referral. CLCs have focused expertise in areas such as landlord-tenant, employment, and immigration law. Contact a local CLC to learn more about eligibility and how to receive legal services.
- Community Services: Community connection services help newcomers integrate into Canadian society by fostering social interaction and cultural understanding. These services often include activities like cultural events, volunteer opportunities, and social groups, which allow newcomers to meet other Canadians and fellow newcomers and build relationships.
- Support Services: To ensure everyone can access the services they need, the government provides support like childcare, translation, and transportation assistance. This helps overcome any barriers that might prevent newcomers from fully participating in settlement programs.
These services are free and confidential. You can find more information about Settlement Programs on the IRCC website, updated in March 2024.
How to Access Settlement Programs ?
To help newcomers access essential settlement services, the Government of Canada has created a user-friendly tool. By visiting the “Find free newcomer services near you” webpage and entering your postal code, you can easily locate services tailored to your specific needs and location. This tool also includes programs specifically designed for women, seniors, youth, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.
Provincial and territorial governments also offer settlement services, and many municipal governments have their own programs as well. To find the most relevant information, search online for “newcomer services” in your specific area or visit the websites of your province or territory. Some of these provincial settlement services pages include Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Quebec.
What is the Eligibility Criteria?
Settlement services in Canada can vary in eligibility based on funding sources. While federal programs, such as those funded by IRCC, are primarily for permanent residents, refugees, and protected persons, provincial and territorial governments often have broader eligibility criteria that may include temporary residents like international students and workers. Municipal-level services may have even more flexible eligibility, making them accessible to a wider range of newcomers.
To ensure eligibility, it’s crucial to contact your local settlement agency directly and inquire about their specific requirements. They may ask for proof of status, such as a Permanent Resident Card, work permit, or study permit. By understanding the funding source and factors like immigration status, income level, and family size, newcomers can effectively access the support they need to settle in Canada.
By taking advantage of such government settlement programs, newcomers can increase their chances of a successful and fulfilling life in Canada.
But that’s not all newcomers look for now, is it?
Moving to a completely new country is quite overwhelming especially for International students. It can get lonely and cause students to experience anxiety and depression. With the academic pressure, adjusting in a new culture, language barriers, financial restrictions and as a result working part-time to support their studies, students end up juggling a lot of work at once. This causes them to fail in maintaining a healthy lifestyle considering their sleeping and eating habits , which further impacts their mental and physical well-being.
While managing all those mental pressures, finding work in the Canadian job market is another challenge faced by students after they are done with their studies. Even after having good enough experience in their field, they may find it difficult to secure employment because of making the most common mistake of not understanding the Canadian context which basically means how they dress, communicate, handle situations at the workplace, the lingo, applications used or preferred, etc. You may be an expert but may miss your shot at landing your dream job because of the lack of these soft skills.
It’s a lot to handle, isn’t it? We know it can be tough and thus we are here to help!
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