Organization will deliver settlement services to newcomers before they arrive in Canada
January 3, 2019—Vancouver, BC—Pre-arrival settlement services are a key element of Canada's immigration program. They provide newcomers, including refugees, with the information and settlement support they need to make informed decisions about their new life in Canada before they arrive. To help deliver these important services, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be providing funding of $22.4 million to S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is among the 4 service providers that will offer national-level information, orientation and onward referrals to economic and family-class pre-arrival clients. The organization will offer online services and in-person services abroad, including comprehensive services and specialized supports for specific immigration categories and client groups (such as youth and LGBTQ2S+). S.U.C.C.E.S.S. was also chosen to deliver online general employment services, including information about the Canadian workplace and soft skills development.
Today's funding announcement is part of IRCC's renewed pre-arrival services program, which will maximize 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;
- providing pre-arrival services to Francophones through a collaborative partnership model;
- offering general, regional and occupation-specific employment services to boost job prospects;
- encouraging newcomers to apply for job licensure before they arrive, if needed; and
- linking clients to federal and provincial settlement services in Canada.
"Providing services to newcomers before they arrive in Canada is critical to successful integration. These services help newcomers make decisions about the life they want to live in Canada as early as possible in their immigration journey. I'm proud that my department has put in the work to shape a pre-arrival program that will deliver consistent, high quality client-centered services to people around the world."
– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
"S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is honoured to be selected as a pre-arrival service provider as part of today's announcement. Since 2008, our Active Engagement and Integration Project (AEIP) has delivered pre-arrival settlement services to more than 14,800 newcomers to Canada. The Minister's announcement reaffirms the work that the AEIP has been doing and we are grateful for the opportunity to assist even more newcomers in partnership with IRCC in the years to come."
– Queenie Choo, CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
Quick facts
In May 2018, IRCC launched an expression of interest process to solicit proposals for economic/family class and Francophone pre-arrival services. Sixteen experienced service provider organizations (SPOs) with proven results and strong partnerships were selected to deliver virtual and in-person services to newcomers, including refugees, around the world before they arrive in Canada. These pre-arrival services began on January 1, 2019.
Funding for these 16 SPOs to 2023 totals approximately $113 million.
Canada has funded pre-arrival services since 1998. While initially only provided to refugees, services were expanded to include non-refugee immigrants in 2001.
In-person services will be offered in China, India, and the Philippines, along with a pilot project for in-person Francophone services in Morocco.
