The B.C. and federal governments agree to expand Settlement Workers in Schools program in its 2nd year

To help newcomer students and their families settle in their school and community, the B.C. and federal governments have decided to expand Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program to 10 more school districts in the province with an investment of $8.6 million.

Under the SWIS program, settlement workers help immigrant and refugee children, in the K-12 public school system, adjust to school culture. The workers also increase parent involvement in their children’s education, while helping to build awareness of community and government resources. As well, a valued component of the program focuses on increasing cultural awareness and sensitivity in schools.

The program has been of great benefits to the newcomer families that have unresolved first year settlement needs. More than 5,000 newcomer students and their families have availed the benefits of settlement counseling since it began. Families with long term settlement issues or who need intensive support are referred to settlement agencies and other community services.

"The Settlement Workers in Schools program is invaluable in assisting new students to integrate more quickly, while giving their parents a critical connection to the broader community," said Murray Coell, B.C. Minister of Advanced Education and Labor Market Development. "Students and their parents experience a smoother transition into the school system and the ability to more rapidly participate in Canadian society in a meaningful way."

Began in the fall of 2007 in 10 school districts across the Lower Mainland and Greater Victoria, the SWIS program has been expanded this fall to include an additional 10 districts in the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan, Nanaimo, West Vancouver, Langley, Coquitlam, and the North, based on the percentage of English as a second language students enrolled in school districts.

"Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our government are committed to helping immigrants and their families succeed in Canada. Schools are one of the first services that newcomers access in their communities and the SWIS program is an ideal way to assist newcomer students and their families on their path to integration," said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. "We are very pleased to be working in partnership with the Province of B.C. to support the expansion of this program to more communities in the province."

The Agreement for Canada-B.C. Cooperation on Immigration provides funding through the transfer of approximately $109 million per year from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to the B.C. government, which is responsible for administering settlement services, including SWIS, for new immigrants through WelcomeBC. WelcomeBC, which supports immigrants and their families in succeeding both economically and socially, helps immigrants in B.C. access services under one umbrella to assist them in better adapting to life in their new communities and builds on the province’s history of welcoming newcomers and creating inclusive communities.

Canada invests in employment programs to facilitate social participation of newcomers and unemployed workers

To help newcomers participate in the workforce and contribute to their communities, government of Canada delivers necessary training, skills and opportunities in partnership with communities and stakeholders, and provides them essential funding to support these initiatives.

Now to help 3,700 newcomers to Canada, unemployed workers aged 45 or older aiming to re-enter the workforce, as well as assist employers in addressing local skills shortages in Lower Mainland area of British Columbia, federal government has initiated three S.U.C.C.E.S.S. projects.

One project, Tomorrow’s Workplace, aims to generate an understanding of skills shortages issues among employers and involve them in creating solutions by offering employer outreach and networking opportunities. This project is delivered through the Labour Market Partnerships program.

The Employment Resource Centre project will enable S.U.C.C.E.S.S. to help unemployed recent immigrants, who are legally entitled to work in Canada, prepare for and find employment through access to a self-serve resource centre, workshops, and the development of individual work plans. Through the Experience for Hire project, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. will provide unemployed workers aged 45 or older with employment counseling on labour market trends, job search techniques and career goals that will allow them to obtain employment or become self-employed. Both of these projects are delivered through the Employment Assistance Services program.

Established in 1973 and incorporated in 1974 as a non-profit charitable organization for the purpose of promoting the well-being of Canadians and immigrants, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is now a multi-service, multicultural immigrant serving agency in British Columbia. With a network of 11 branches in Lower Mainland area, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is delivering program in culturally sensitive ways to meet the needs of new immigrants and unemployed workers. Approximately 70 per cent of the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. annual operating fund comes from the three levels of government. In 1979, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. became a member of the United Way of the Lower Mainland. In 1994, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. received the Citation for Citizenship Award for its contribution to new immigrants’ settlement and integration. S.U.C.C.E.S.S. was accredited by the Council on Accreditation in January 2004 for the achievement of best practice standards.

Canada announces substantial increase in annual settlement funding to provinces and territories other than Ontario and Quebec

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, has been delivering programs and services to migrants of more than 40 nationalities for over 16 years, and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

To continue this collaboration, CIC has released details of federal annual funding to its primary partners to help increase the uptake of immigrant settlement programs in the coming year.

According to this annual support, provinces and territories, other than Ontario and Quebec, will be allocated more than $240 million in federal funding during the financial year 2009-10, which represents an increase of over $40 million, or more than 20 per cent, over the previous year.

This annual allocation is part of CIC’s five-years, $1.4 billion "additional settlement funding package" to provinces and territories, other than Quebec, since 2006-07, and used for the development and continuation of important programs and services, such as language training and employment services, that help newcomers integrate and succeed in Canada.

The allocations for 2009-10 also reflect a funding formula that is based on the number of newcomers, and which gives additional weight for refugees to account for their unique settlement needs. For example, the Prince Edward Island will be receiving nearly $2 million in funding which represents an increase of 43 per cent over the previous year, while British Columbia will be receiving more than $120 million in funding but it represents an increase of only 13 per cent over the previous year. The formula also provides a capacity-building amount for each jurisdiction, recognizing that jurisdictions are at different places in terms of settlement service provision.

Funding for Ontario is provided under the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA). Through this Agreement, the Government of Canada has increased funding for Ontario by a total of $920 million over five years. This covers basic settlement services, enhanced language training, portal and administration costs.

For Quebec, the Canada-Quebec Accord (CQA) provides the government of Quebec with an annual grant, the amount of which is calculated using a formula set out in the Accord. Quebec has responsibility for all settlement services. For 2009-10, the estimated amount is $234.2 million.

Canada announces new funding to help under-represented labor groups facing barriers to employment

Canadian federal government has announced new funding for an innovative employment program aimed at helping under-represented people prepare for jobs in high-demand occupations in the Surrey, a fast-growing urban area in the British Columbia with a diverse population and increasing labor requirements.

This program will be delivered through the Surrey Community Services Society (SCSS), which is a not-for-profit, accredited organization offering case-management services for the past nine years, and has been delivering a variety of other successful employment programs since 1985.

SCSS will be provided $3.4 million in funding under the Government of Canada’s Employment Assistance Services (EAS) program to launch and run Whalley Employment Resource Centre project between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010. During this period, the project will help almost 10,000 unemployed persons in under-represented labor groups, such as Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, youth and immigrant communities, and other people facing barriers to employment, to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience they need to obtain and maintain fulltime employment in specific high-demand occupations in retail, wholesale, trade and construction, information technology, recreation, professional and technical businesses.

"Canada is built on a promise of opportunity; the chance to work hard, raise a family and make a better life regardless of cultural background, gender, age, disability or official language," said Ms. Dona Cadman, MP for Surrey North. "In supporting this project, the Government of Canada is helping these participants share in that promise by removing barriers to finding employment."

Government of Canada’s EAS program provides funding to organizations that offer employment services to help clients re-enter the labor market. Funding for the EAS program was provided for in the March 2007 federal budget. All unemployed Canadians have access to a range of services under the EAS program. However, some EAS offerings are available only to clients who are eligible to receive Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, or who have recently been receiving EI benefits.

Employment Assistance Services include providing clients with information about the labor market, helping to prepare résumés, career-planning services, employment counselling, diagnostic assessment, help with job-search skills, job-finding clubs, and job-placement services.

Eligible recipients of EAS funding are businesses (including federal Crown corporations and provincial/territorial Crown corporations), organizations, individuals, public health and educational institutions, municipal governments, and band/tribal councils, as well as some provincial/territorial government departments and agencies. These entities act as employers or service coordinators under the program.

This project has been reviewed to ensure compliance with Service Canada’s administration of its grants and contributions programs, and is subject to review under the Financial Administration Act.

Saskatchewan communities receive $2.59 million in funding for immigrant settlement and integration services

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into the province, the government of Saskatchewan, in partnership with community-based organizations and other agencies, has been delivering programs and services to migrants, and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

Recently, the province has provided approximately $2.59 million in funding to support immigrant service providers across the province. Funding will support English language training and settlement services provided by organizations in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, the Battlefords, Lloydminster, Tisdale, Hudson Bay, Humboldt, Yorkton, Estevan, Weyburn, Gravelbourg, Swift Current and other surrounding communities. Funding will also support English language training provided by the Carlton Trail, Cumberland, Great Plains, Parkland, North West and Southeast Regional Colleges. Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA) and the provincial council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress will also receive funding.

"As immigration to Saskatchewan increases, providing effective English training and integration services to immigrants will become increasingly vital to the strength of our communities and the prosperity of our province overall," Advanced Education, Employment and Labor Minister Rob Norris said. "This funding will help to ensure that newcomers to Saskatchewan have greater access to the supports they need, allowing them to participate more fully in the community and build their lives here."

Approximately 25 per cent (or $664,300) in funding will go to immigrant serving organizations in Regina: For English language training and labor market integration services, Regina Open Door Society, Beth Jacob Synagogue, Regina Immigrant Women Centre and the Regina Public School Division will receive approximately $318,600 for the 2008-09 fiscal year; Under the Saskatchewan Nominee Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Enhanced Assessment and Referrals Program (EARP), the Regina Open Door Society will also receive approximately $121,950; Under the Community Capacity Building Fund, the Beth Jacob Synagogue, Regina Immigrant Women Centre, L'Assembleé communautaire fransaskoise and the Regina Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress will receive approximately $140,430 for 2008-09 to deliver settlement services; while remaining $83,320 will cover support for smaller projects, core funding to Regina Open Door Society, grants to Regina Immigrant Women Centre and Uganda Canadian Association of Saskatchewan, and the seven per cent lift to community-based organizations announced by the government in September 2008.

Approximately 35 per cent (or 894,500) in funding will go to immigrant serving organizations in Saskatoon: For English language training and labor market integration services, Saskatoon Open Door Society, Global Gathering Place, International Women of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Intercultural Association and the Saskatoon Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress will receive approximately $378,000 for the 2008-09 fiscal year; Under the Saskatchewan Nominee Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Enhanced Assessment and Referrals Program (EARP), the Saskatoon Open Door Society will also receive approximately $114,460; Under the Community Capacity Building Fund, the City of Saskatoon, Global Gathering Place, International Women of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, Global International Community Help Association, the Filipino Canadian Association of Saskatoon, the German Canadian Concordia Club and the Saskatoon Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress will receive approximately $325,290 for 2008-09 to deliver settlement services; while remaining $76,750 will cover support for smaller projects, core funding to Saskatoon Open Door Society, and the seven per cent lift to community-based organizations announced by the government in September 2008.

Approximately 40 per cent (or $1.03 million) will be provided to organizations in other communities across the province.

The province is also providing $37,216 in new funding to the Yorkton Branch of Saskatchewan Abilities Council for a new "Partners in Settlement and Integration (PSI)" project. The PSI project will refer new immigrants to appropriate community services and agencies within the East Central region, and will facilitate matches with local community volunteers to assist with broader community integration. Since 2006, approximately 130 newcomers have settled in East Central Saskatchewan.

During 2008-09 fiscal year, the provincial government of Saskatchewan has set an aggressive immigration target of 2,800 nominations for the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), which actually represents more than 8,000 newcomers including nominees, their spouses and families.

British Columbia builds a regional, multi-sectoral alliance to address immigrant employment issues

To find and implement local solutions for addressing the immigrants’ employment issues in metro Vancouver area of British Columbia (B.C.), a new Employment Council has been created.

The B.C. Immigrant Employment Council will carry out a coordinated action strategy for creating a longer-term and sustainable vision on immigrant employment issues that help break down the barriers immigrants face when looking for work in the region. Employers also face challenges dealing with applicants or new employees from other countries or cultures, including language barriers, adaptation to North American workplace culture and integration of immigrants into work teams.

To achieve this goal, the Council will focus on three objectives: (a) Increase access to and availability of services that help immigrants gain access to the labor market more efficiently and effectively; (b) Change the way stakeholders value and work with skilled immigrants; and (c) Change the way governments relate to one another in planning and programming around this issue.

The Council will engage employers and other stakeholders to come up with solution-based actions, champion the labor market integration of immigrants, and influence related government policy and program development. The Board of Directors of the Council will be composed of 10 to 12 leaders from business, labor, service providers, post-secondary institutions and regulators.

The Provincial Government, along with a start-up grant from the Maytree Foundation, will support the work of the B.C. Immigrant Employment Council toward finding and implementing local, practical solutions on immigrant employment issues, which will ultimately contribute to city’s economy and prosperity in the long run.

Instead of delivering direct service to immigrants, the B.C. Immigrant Employment Council will develop various programs in partnership with key organizations, agencies and corporate partners. It will create new opportunities to match the skills, knowledge and experience of immigrants with the demands of the Vancouver region labor market. Through the development of a range of new initiatives, design and champion by its members, the Council will offer a unique and exciting opportunity to build the capacity of stakeholders to work more effectively individually and collaboratively to integrate immigrants into the labor force.

The genesis of the Council began in October 2008 with the Leaders Summit, a conference of leaders representing the various sectors and communities of the region, held at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The one-day Summit was held to assess the Vancouver region's strengths and challenges, and shape future directions by identifying strategies to form a regional, multi-sectoral alliance.

The Leaders Summit was convened by the Vancouver Mayor's Task Force on Immigration and Vancouver Foundation, with support from the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Labor Market Development. Participants include leaders from employers, labor, education, government and service providers.

Alberta introduces plan to better recognize the foreign-earned qualifications of skilled immigrants

The Employment and Immigration Ministry of Alberta has released a new plan to streamline the recognition process of foreign-earned qualifications, trainings and experiences, which will help newcomers put their skills to work in Alberta.

Released on Friday, this Foreign Qualifications Recognition Plan for Alberta (FQR) has been developed in consultation with Alberta employers, educational institutions, professional regulatory organizations and immigrant-serving agencies, and involving several provincial government ministries.

Through this plan, government and stakeholders will not only work together to clarify and shorten the path skilled immigrants take to join the workforce but also incorporate and recognize the critical role of over 50 professional regulatory organizations including over 25 educational institutions, a number of industry councils or non-government organizations, and numerous employers (small, medium and large), which are responsible for assessing foreign-earned qualifications to determine labor market entry of skilled immigrants.

By establishing a $1-million fund to promote innovative and flexible approaches to foreign qualifications assessment, FQR plan will include (a) enhancing information and resources for employers, immigrants and potential newcomers; (b) developing International Educational Guides to provide comprehensive information on educational systems and credentials in other countries and comparisons to standards in Alberta; and (c) developing occupational profiles detailing the licensing, certification or assessment process. In general, the 10 actions in the plan focus on three areas including specialized information, assessment standards and resources, and bridging the gap.

Progress of the actions will be reported based on the performance measures developed in the plan - an interim report on progress of actions will be compiled for May 2009 followed by a progress report containing baseline data in April 2010. This plan is expected to help expand Alberta’s labor market, strengthen economy and provide opportunities for immigrants to make the most of the skills they earned outside of Canada.

This plan is publicized after a government-led series of roundtable discussions in May 2007 on issues and challenges related to foreign qualification recognition with 70 participants representing immigrants/immigrant-serving agencies, employers, professional regulatory organizations and educational institutions. Given the global competition for skilled labor, many stakeholders felt that Alberta is primed to develop and establish a competitive position for the province by "defining the path for immigrants and making it straighter and shorter."

In an Assessment Services related recent study by Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, skilled immigrants in Alberta reported that they did not have employment related to their previous education (45%); that they were overqualified for their current job (49%) and that their home country education and/or work experience was not recognized (64%).

Another recent statistic by Alberta’s Occupational Demand and Supply Outlook for 2007-2017 warned that Province may experience a labor shortage as high as 111,000 workers in the next 10 years. Although the labor is expected to grow 441,000 while 330,000 workers are expected to join the labor force during this period but it is clear that unless provincial government and industry start finding new ways to attract workers, the statistical prediction of 111,000 worker shortage in the province will become a reality. The province is currently between 30,000 to 40,000 workers short in all fields of employment.

Canada announces new funding to help newcomers settle and improve language skills

To meet the growing needs of immigrants and refugees, the government of Canada funds number of settlement, adaptation and integration services as well as language training, in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, as part of its LINC, ISAP and HOST programs.

Under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), a new funding of more than $10 million, over the next two years, will spent on essential settlement services for newcomers to Scaborough, the eastern suburb of the city of Toronto and the safest large metropolitan area in North America by Places Rated Almanac.

The funding will be used for delivering language training to nearly 1,800 students, referrals to community resources, and general information and employment-related services to 4,100 newcomers through Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto ($2,636,961), Catholic Cross-Cultural Services ($4,458,538), East Metro Youth Services ($220,730), Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) ($420,208), Canadian Arab Federation ($2,544,815) and Tropicana Community Services ($203,954). This new funding will also use to help young newcomers by providing preventative programs that address the psychological and emotional challenges youths often face when settling and integrating in a new environment.

After this new funding, the year-to-date funding to immigrant serving organizations in the Scarborough area alone have now reached to more than $19 million.

Similarly, as part of its $1.4 billion ‘additional settlement funding package’ to provinces and territories other than Quebec, a new funding of nearly $4.2 million will be provided to immigrant-serving organizations of two major cities of Saskatchewan.

In Regina, a new funding of $1,922,871, over the next year, will be provided to four different immigrant-serving organizations namely Regina Open Door Society ($1,420,575), Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology ($357,376), Regina Immigrant Women’s Centre ($24,920) and Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise ($120,000) to help deliver necessary and important programs such as language training for over 1,600 newcomers and provided community resources for assistance in settling into their new communities and finding a job.

In Saskatoon, a new funding of $2,228,014, over the next year, will be provided to four different immigrant-serving organizations namely Saskatoon Open Door Society ($1,276,641), Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology ($754,075), Global Gathering Place ($76,279) and Saskatchewan Intercultural Association ($121,019) to help deliver necessary and important programs such as language training for over 2,000 newcomers and provided community resources for assistance in settling into their new communities and finding a job.

For 2008–09, Saskatchewan will be receiving more than $5.5 million in basic settlement funding, an increase of more than $1.5 million over the previous year.

Canada and Ontario cofund 12 new bridging programs to provide occupation-specific language training to newcomers

To improve the accessibility of internationally trained newcomers to occupational certification/registration and employment, the governments of Canada and Ontario have announced to jointly invest $11.2 million in Ontario’s bridge training programs.

Individually, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is committing more than $7.8 million while Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI) is contributing more than $3.4 million for this purpose.

The funding, which is being provided under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), will be used for 12 of the 15 language training and bridge-to-work programs being delivered at 11 different universities, colleges and agencies in Toronto, Ontario. This bridging will target nearly 1,800 internationally educated professionals in specific fields such as healthcare, engineering, social work, architecture and finance through providing specialized language training, communication assessment services, bridge-to-work opportunities, and mentoring and internship placements.

For example, the School of Continuing Studies at University of Toronto will receive a total of $720,000 to develop and deliver a program aimed at helping Ontario’s internationally trained newcomers find employment in project management. Similarly, the CARE Center for Internationally Educated Nurses will receive a total of $507,603 to develop and provide innovative courses that teach language skills specific to nursing profession.

Other agencies that will receive funding include Association of Ontario Land Surveyors ($667,699), Community Microskills Development Centre ($1,251,188), Canadian Mothercraft Society ($474,630), Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology ($139,334), Accessible Community Counseling and Employment Services for New Canadians ($383,501*), George Brown College ($805,173), G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University ($3,601,971), Jewish Vocational Service of Metropolitan Toronto ($1,428,658) and Toronto District School Board (1,273,532*).

Since 2003 the Ontario government has invested over $85 million in 145 bridge training programs, helping more than 20,000 newcomers improve their language skills, prepare for exams and work in their field sooner.

Canada announces new funding for occupation-specific language training and employability assistance

Designed specifically for internationally trained professionals, job-specific language training is becoming increasingly common in Canada. This type of customized training not only increases the communication skills of newcomers but also provides better access to professional accreditation and opens doors to the job market.

To promote these objectives, federal government of Canada frequently invests in these training programs and services, under its Enhanced Language Training program (ELT), which are designed and delivered through community and professional associations.

a most recent investment of this kind has been provided to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA). A funding of more than $58,000 will enable TRCA to provide enhanced language training to 40 environmental engineers in Toronto who were trained abroad.

The training will be delivered as part of the Professional Access and Integration Enhancement Program, a joint initiative of the TRCA and several other community and professional associations. Engineers who participate in this program are also offered a 12-month fulltime job placement with a host organization in the environmental engineering field.

Under the same agreement between Ontario and Canada, a funding of $639,969 was provided to Halton Multicultural Council for conducting a 17-week Enhanced Language Training Community Policing program. The program, that delivered occupation-specific language and employbility assistance to participants, was fully supported by the Halton Regional Police Service and the department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). At least seven participants were newcomer to Canada with a background in law enforcement and security.

Few weeks earlier, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, and Yukon College received over $5.5 million and $129,000 respectively to deliver job-specific language training to help prepare newcomers for jobs in Canada that match their skills and qualifications.

Canada investing in immigrant integration and skills enhancement in the Atlantic Provinces

Besides encourging the immigration in all four Atlantic provinces through the renewal of immigration agreements, federal governemnt of Canada, in partnership with settlement providers, is also providing necessary funding to support the settlement and integration needs of newcomers to these provinces.

During the last few weeks, a settlement funding of over $95 million has been announced for several partner agencies in the province of Nova Scotia. A most recent of these fundings is an investment of over $10.3 million for next three years, which is being provided to several Halifax-area partner organizations and help an estimated 3,000 immigrants in accessing basic settlement services such as language training, counseling and help finding a job. The funding to YMCA Community Outreach and Family Services, Halifax Immigrant Learning Center, Halifax Regional School Board, Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association and la Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse will be provided under the Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) prominent services including Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program (ISAP), Language Instruction for newcomers to Canada and the Host Programs.

Through a new Labour Market Agreement (LMA), federal government will inject approximately $85 million over the next six years into the Nova Scotia labour market for provincial programs to help Nova Scotians upgrade their skills in a variety of sectors, such as information technology, health care and construction. The funding will be used to help individuals often excluded from the labour force, including Aboriginal people, immigrants, and persons with disabilities, to gain access to the training they need to find good quality jobs.

Under the Workplace Skills Initiative of Advantage Canada plan, government is investing over $560,000 in the Work in Nova Scotia (WINS) project. Nova Scotia designed WINS not only to help integrate newcomers into the workplace but also to address skills gaps and labor shortages in small- and medium-sized businesses. It is estimated that approximately 350 individuals and 250 small- and medium-sized enterprises will benefit from this project. WINS is managed by the Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association (MISA) and was launched as a bridging program to help newcomers in Nova Scotia achieve their employment goals. The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration will also contribute $36,275 to support the project.

As part of $1.4 billion ‘additional settlement funding package’ to provinces and territories other than Quebec, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton in New Brunswick will receive about $2.7 million to deliver services that will help newcomers become established in Fredericton and surrounding areas. These services include language training, translation and interpretation, and referrals to community resources. The Association will also provide youth settlement workers who will work with newcomer youth in the community.

Under the same federal package, the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA) in New Brunswick will also receive $1.3 million funding to help newcomers access orientation and other services, including referrals to community resources and assistance, language training in both French and English, and help establishing contacts in their field of work.

For 2008-09, New Brunswick will be receiving more than $2.7 million in basic settlement funding, an increase of more than $900,000 over the previous year.

Another funding, totalling more than $2.6 million over a three-year period, will go to the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, Carrefour d’immigration rurale Évangéline, Holland College and Study Abroad Canada in Prince Edward Island. The funding will help deliver settlement services such as language training, translation and interpretation, job search support and resettlement assistance for refugees including temporary accommodations, food and incidentals, orientation sessions and counselling and referral services. It will also go toward culture-bridging activities and anti-racism programs as well as connecting newcomers with volunteers who will help them access services, establish contacts in their field of work and participate in the community.

For 2008–2009, Prince Edward Island is receiving almost $1.4 million in settlement funding, an increase of more than $239,475 over the previous year.

Canada announces new funding to help newcomers settle in Ontario and improve language skills

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society, Canadian government, in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, has been delivering programs and services to migrants, and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

For this purpose, a new settlement funding of over $28 million has been announced to help fourteen partner agencies delivering settlement and integration services to new immigrants in Ontario. This funding, which is provided under the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), is expected to help more than 33,000 migrants who have settled in different parts of the province. The beneficiaries will include the following:

WoodGreen Community Services will receive $3.8 million for providing variety of services, including specialized language training and programs for youth, to more than 8,300 immigrants in Toronto. This is in addition to more than $1.9 million provided to this agency earlier this year to help establish a new language training facility.

The Ethiopian Association will receive more than $2.2 million for providing settlement services, including help finding a job, to an estimated 7,232 newcomers, language training to 156 students and child-minding spaces to 16 parents, of particularly Ethiopian origin, in the Greater Toronto Area and the surrounding regions.

Lebanese and Arab Social Services Agency (LASSA) will receive a total of $1.2 million for delivering settlement services, including orientation, interpretation, referrals to community resources, advice, guidance and employment-related assistance to an estimated 3,300 newcomers, mostly from Arabic-speaking community, in the capital city of Ottawa.

A funding of more than $11 million will be provided to Settlement and Integration Services Organization ($9,105,346), Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology ($848,295), Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board ($103,315) and AAT School ($1,404,323) to help an estimated 5,000 newcomers to Hamilton access settlement services such as language training, referrals to community resources and help finding a job. Some of the language training offered by these organizations will focus on occupation-specific language needs. This training will be complemented by job-bridging, mentoring and job-shadowing opportunities.

Another funding of more than $10.4 million will be provided to COSTI Immigrant Services ($1,340,691), Welcome Centre Immigrant Services in Vaughan ($936,431), Catholic Community Services of York Region ($5,792,479), Centre for Information and Community Services of Ontario ($947,641), Jewish Immigrant Aid Services ($35,874), Job Skills ($625,607), The Cross-Cultural Community Services Association ($426,737) and York Region Education/Industry Foundation and Career Centre ($387,177) to help an estimated 9,700 newcomers to the York region access settlement services. The services will include helping migrants find jobs (such as job-search workshops) and assisting them in getting general orientation, translation and interpretation services. The funding will also help migrants with referrals to community resources and counseling services.

These funding for settlement and language training to Ontario are provided under the $920 million COIA over five years and are part of $1.4 billion package over five years to provinces and territories other than Quebec, which was committed by the Canadian federal government in budget 2006.

Canada reaffirms its humanitarian concern and international obligations on World Refugee Day

To bring attention to the plight of world’s refugees and to offer support, encouragement and respect, June 20 is celebrated as World Refugee Day around the globe. The theme for this year was “Protecting Refugees: Rebuilding Lives in Safety and Dignity”.

As a leading advocate for the protection of refugees around the world, Canada is particularly committed to working with the international community to find lasting solutions for refugees who have been living in exile for decades. Canada resettles refugees from abroad and takes part in international actions to help prevent refugee situations from developing. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) also works at home to provide protection to those who make asylum claims in Canada.

Canada accepts more than 30,000 refugees every year. This includes those who come to Canada and successfully claim refugee status and refugees living overseas that Canada agrees to resettle. In fact, through its Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), Canada selects 10,000 to 12,000 refugees annually from around the world, making it a global leader in resettlement efforts. These refugees represent 10 per cent of the 100,000 refugees who are resettled every year worldwide.

Canada is also a strong supporter of the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) to support relief efforts, who provides protection and promotes durable solutions. Last year, Canadian funding helped the UNHCR to support the voluntary return of more than 365,000 individuals from Pakistan and Iran to their homes in Afghanistan.

In 2008, Canada will select 7,300 to 7,500 government-assisted refugees through its RAP and 3,300 to 4,500 through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. To reach this target, Canada has announced the resettlement of an additional 1,300 Karen refugees from Myanmar and up to 2,000 Iraqi refugees in addition to up to 5,000 Bhutanese refugees that would be resettled over the next three to five years.

To help refugees settle and integrate into their new communities, CIC works closely with provinces, settlement service providers and private sponsors across Canada except Quebec, which deals these issues itself under the Canada-Quebec Accord. To support these initiatives, CIC also provides stakeholders necessary funding through its assistance program.

As part of this Day’s celebrations, Canada has announced enormous fundings for its partner agencies across the country to assist thousands of refugees in their resettlement. These fundings are part of more than $49 million package that has been set aside for 2008-09 under the RAPs. The major beneficiaries of this funding would be the provinces of Ontario ($18.5 million), Alberta ($7.0521 million), British Columbia ($6.5 million) and Saskatchewan ($3.3483 million).

In Ontario, at least six partner agencies in London, Hamilton, Kitchener-Walterloo, Ottawa, Toronto and Windsor-Essex will receive more than $5.1 million to assist up to 2,300 refugees with temporary accommodations, food and incidentals, orientation sessions and counselling and referral services. This is in addition to more than $138 million settlement funding that has been provided to these six areas directly (under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA) over five years) to design and deliver basic settlement support services to all newcomers including refugees.

In Alberta, one CIC partner agency in Edmonton will receive over $790,000 to assist up to 378 refugees with temporary accommodation, finding a permanent home, help with such items as banking and managing a household, and other everyday tasks, as well as referrals to federal and provincial programs. This is in addition to more than $47 million settlement funding that is being provided to the Province directly for 2008-09 to design and deliver basic settlement support services to all newcomers including refugees.

In British Columbia, one CIC partner agency in Vancouver will receive more than $1.3 million to assist up to 800 refugees. This is in addition to $109 million settlement funding that is being provided to the Province directly for 2008-09 to design and deliver settlement support services to all newcomers including refugees.

In Saskatchewan, two CIC partner agencies in Saskatoon will receive over $325,000 to assist up to 200 refugees. This is in addition to $5.5 million settlement funding that is being provided to the Province directly for 2008-09 to design and deliver settlement support services to all newcomers including refugees.

Through their generous support for those who are in legitimate need of protection, the Canadian government and the people have shown not only their humanitarian concern but also a recognition of the enormous contributions that refugees can make to their new communities. Canadians can be proud of helping so many to rebuild their lives in safety.

Canada and PEI announce new agreement to encourage immigration in the province

To establish a collaborative approach encouraging immigration to the Prince Edward Island (PEI), federal government and the provincial government of PEI have decided to strengthen their existing partnership by announcing a new agreement on immigration.

The ‘Canada-PEI Cooperation on Immigration’ agreement will provide a framework to the governments at both level in discharging their shared responsibility on immigration. Build upon the original agreement signed between the two governments in 2001, the new agreement introduced various new provisions aimed to help PEI’s businesses and economy continue to grow.

For example, new agreement includes a provision that will enhance cooperation between Canada and PEI in overseas promotion and recruitment activities to help attract skilled immigrants, temporary workers and students to PEI. Similarly, another provision will not only remove the limit on annual nominations made by Province under its Provincial Nominee Program (PEI-PNP) but also encourage the recruitment and retention of Francophone immigrants through the targetted use of this Nominee Program. This initiative, in particular, will give the Province authority in selecting required number of immigrants to fill labor market gaps as well as in addressing particular social and demographic needs to boost its declining population.

To address the settlement and integration needs of immigrants and refugees, both governments will promote better working relationship to secure recognition of foreign qualifications and faster integration of immigrants into the labor market.

The new agreement also ensures that federal government will continue to invest in basic settlement services delivered in the Province through community stakeholders, including service providers, municipalities and the private sector. After an increase of $239,475 over the previous year, the ongoing settlement funding to the Province has reached to around $1.4 million for 2008-09.

Recently, the federal government has provided more than $2.6 milion, over a three year period, to four partner agencies across the Province. This funding will not only use for the delivery of programs and services to newcomer refugees such as language training, translation and interpretation, job search support and resettlement assistance, but also for improving anti-racism programs and culture-bridging activities.

The agreement also recognizes the Province’s interest in enhancing the vitality of French linguistic minority communities in its jurisdiction.

Located at the Atlantic coast, the Prince Edward Island is the smallest province of Canada having total population of 135,851 as of May 16, 2006 Census. In 2005, PEI welcomed 586 newcomers: 330 permanent residents and 256 temporary residents.

Canada announces new funding for enhanced training in both official languages

Language training is one of several settlement services funded by the federal government to help immigrants integrate into their new communities. To recognize the importance of language skills in successful settlement of a newcomer, government is investing millions of dollars in two key language training programs: the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program (LINC) and the Enhanced Language Training program (ELT).

To promote the objectives of ELT, federal government has recently invested in various programs and services that will offer their participants an opportunity to learn real life options within a Canadian context, outline clear pathways to employment and build the social capital within Canadian cities.

Under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning will receive over $5.5 million to build English language training, mentorship and career development programs for newcomers. Designed specifically for internationally trained professionals, these services will help approximately 800 individuals preparing to enter the Canadian labor market.

These services will be offered at Sheidan’s campuses in Oakville and Brampton, and participants will be allowed access to the library, career centres and computer labs.

Yukon College is also receiving $129,000 to deliver job-specific language training to help prepare newcomers for jobs in Canada that match their skills and qualifications. This also makes it easier for immigrants to integrate into the community. Funding for enhanced language training is provided on a yearly basis and renewed every school year.

And under the $2.7 million in basic settlement funding to New Brunswick for 2008-09, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton will receive about $2.7 million to deliver services that will help newcomers become established in Fredericton and surrounding areas. These services include language training, translation and interpretation, and referrals to community resources. The Association will also provide youth settlement workers who will work with newcomer youth in the community.

Under Canadian government’s five-year Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities and Canada’s Official Languages Action Plan, the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique (FFCB) will receive $104,000 to develop tools, activities and partnerships aimed at attracting and integrating French-speaking immigrants to Francophone minority communities outside Quebec. In 2006, more than 1,553 French-speaking newcomers settled in British Columbia.

The Association Franco-Yukonnaise (AFY) will also receive over $212,000 to deliver services in both official languages to newcomers in Yukon. The AFY also provides services for Francophones in minority communities, welcomes all newcomers, and encourages their participation in their new communities.

Government of Canada’s Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities is a five-year plan to improve capacity building and developing the broad, long-term partnerships within the community required to integrate Francophone immigrants into Canadian society. This action plan was started in September 2006.

Canada announces new funding to deliver settlement assistance to newcomers and refugees

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society, Canadian government, in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, has been delivering programs and services to migrants, and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

Under the Workplace Skills Initiative of Advantage Canada plan, government is investing over $560,000 in the Work in Nova Scotia (WINS) project. Nova Scotia designed WINS not only to help integrate newcomers into the workplace but also to address skills gaps and labor shortages in small- and medium-sized businesses. It is estimated that approximately 350 individuals and 250 small- and medium-sized enterprises will benefit from this project. WINS is managed by the Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association (MISA) and was launched as a bridging program to help newcomers in Nova Scotia achieve their employment goals. The Nova Scotia Office of Immigration will also contribute $36,275 to support the project.

As part of $1.4 billion ‘additional settlement funding package’ to provinces and territories other than Quebec, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton in New Brunswick will receive about $2.7 million to deliver services that will help newcomers become established in Fredericton and surrounding areas. These services include language training, translation and interpretation, and referrals to community resources. The Association will also provide youth settlement workers who will work with newcomer youth in the community.

Under the same federal package, the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA) in New Brunswick will also receive $1.3 million funding to help newcomers access orientation and other services, including referrals to community resources and assistance, language training in both French and English, and help establishing contacts in their field of work.

For 2008-09, New Brunswick will be receiving more than $2.7 million in basic settlement funding, an increase of more than $900,000 over the previous year.

Under the $6.5 million Resettlement Assistance Program of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for 2008-09, the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia will receive more than $1.3 million to assist up to 800 refugees with temporary accommodations, food and incidentals, orientation sessions and counselling and referral services. This is in addition to $109 million settlement funding that is being provided to the Province directly for 2008-09 to design and deliver settlement support services to all newcomers including refugees.

Canada and Yukon announce new agreement to encourage immigration in the territory

To establish a collaborative approach encouraging immigration to Yukon, the federal government and the territorial government of Yukon have decided to strengthen their existing partnership by announcing a new agreement on immigration.

The ‘Canada-Yukon Cooperation on Immigration’ agreement will provide a framework to the governments at both level in discharging their shared responsibility on immigration. Build upon the original agreement signed between the two governments in 2001, the new agreement introduced various new provisions aimed to help Yukon’s businesses and economy continue to grow.

For example, new agreement includes a provision that will enhance cooperation between Canada and Yukon in overseas promotion and recruitment activities to help attract skilled immigrants, temporary workers and students to Yukon. Similarly, a modified Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) will run on a one-year pilot with no annual limit.

To address the settlement and integration needs of immigrants and refugees, both governments will promote better working relationship to secure recognition of foreign qualifications and faster integration of immigrants into the labor market.

The new agreement also ensures that federal government will continue to invest in basic settlement services delivered in Yukon through partner agencies. The ongoing funding to the territory since 2006-07 has reached to more than $1 million after a recently announced $341,000 and $219,000 in December 2007. This funding is going toward the delivery of programs and services for newcomers such as information and orientation sessions, language training, and support in establishing networks and contacts.

Besides this settlement funding, federal government is also contributing more than $800,000 over four years to help Yukon launch an immigration web portal for the territory. The new territorial web portal (http://www.immigration.gov.yk.ca/) complements the agreement by enhancing online content, tools and services for newcomers. The portal will serve to promote the territory as a destination of choice, and help immigrants settle and prosper in the region. The portal will also be used to support eligible municipal-level online projects relevant to newcomers.

The agreement also recognizes the territory’s interest in enhancing the vitality of French linguistic minority communities in its jurisdiction.

As of December 2007, Yukon's population was 32,335, an increase of only 379 compared to December 2006. Additionally unemployment is relatively low at 3.9 per cent. In 2006, Yukon welcomed 193 newcomers: 65 permanent residents and 128 temporary residents.

Canada announces new funding to support the advancement of newcomer women and their families

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, has been delivering programs and services to migrants and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

A new funding of $947,370 has recently been announced for St. Joseph Immigrant Women’s Center to continue delivering settlement services to an estimated 530 newcomers in Hamilton and surrounding area. In addition to already granted over $2.5 million for this organization in 2008, this new funding will specifically be used to start a new Family Settlement Center in addition to support the essential settlement services including language and job skills training, finding job and getting settled in their new community. The new proposed Family Settlement Center in East Mountain area will specialize in providing settlement services to newcomer women and their families, support their advancement and full participation in the community.

Similarly, a new funding of more than $8.4 million has been announced for five partner agencies in the Kitchener-Waterloo region to deliver settlement services, including language training and employment-related support, to new immigrants. These five agencies include the following: YMCA of Kitchener-Waterloo ($4,330,299), Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Center ($411,306), English at First ($848,065), Waterloo Catholic District School Board ($2,861,477) and Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning ($36,539). This funding is expected to help an estimated 1,200 immigrants in Kitchener-Waterloo area.

Few weeks earlier, Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning has been granted $3.2 million for developing and delivering brand new English-language training services to meet the increasingly diverse needs of newcomers. That funding was provided to Conestoga under the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program to train more than 250 newcomers in Kitchener-Waterloo area.

Likewise, the YMCA Cross Cultural and Community Services in Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge has recently received $1.4 million to fund a business mentoring program for immigrants, developed and administered by YMCA.

These funding for essential settlement services and advancement of newcomer women and their families to Ontario are provided under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA) over five years and are part of $1.4 billion package over five years to provinces and territories other than Quebec, which was committed by the Canadian federal government in budget 2006.

Quebec announced new measures for the integration of immigrants into the job

The Quebec provincial government has announced to invest $68 million over the next three years for the implementation of many labor market measures, which will help internationally trained newcomers to the province find work in their field of specialty more quickly.

As announced, more than $22 million will be used each fiscal year through to 2011 for the implementation of 18 labor market measures that have been designed to open the doors of employment for foreign trained newcomers and will contribute to the growth of businesses in the context of globalization.

Of the $68 million, $6 million over three years has been earmarked for one of the eighteen measures known as Challenge Montreal. This Internet website project will invite partners in the labor market of Montreal to mobilize in order to capitalize more on the professional skills of Montreal and their immigrants so that companies in the metropolis in search of skilled and competent rally. This website project is expected to bring significant impact in Montreal that is the home of around three quarters of total newcomers to the province.

Moreover, the Regional Council of labor market partners Montreal will be assigned responsibility to provide regional leadership to find answers to problems employability of people with immigrant backgrounds. The Council, with the CRE, the City of Montreal and the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, in particular, will propose ways to improve the existing service offering.

In addition to this $68 million funding, the Department of Immigration and Cultural Communities have already invested substantial sums in services francization and integration of newcomers. In 2006-2007, Department devoted for this purpose more than $50 million in Montreal. The Ministry has also signed an agreement of $4.5 million over three years with the city of Montreal for the implementation of an action plan on the integration of immigrants in French in the Montreal community.

Canada announces new funding to support the advancement of newcomer youths and their families

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, has been delivering programs and services to migrants and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

Just after a $36 million settlement funding for newcomer youths and their families in Toronto and high needs neighborhoods, another funding of more than $300,000 has been announced to help youth settlement services in the Peel region, which will support the advancement of new young Canadians and their full participation in the community.

The funding will be used to support Dixie Bloor Neighborhood Center’s innovative programs for newcomer youths and their families, and YMCA’s Newcomer Youth Leadership Development Program and the YMCA Newcomer Parent Workshop Series. These modern settlement services include language and job skills training, leadership development programs, mentorships, peer engagement and recreational activities that would be delivered through sports and the arts. Workshops for parents will help them understand how important it is for youth to participate in recreational activities and get a sense of youth culture and practices in Canada. These services are expected to be delivered to an estimated 120 newcomer youths in the Peel region.

Similarly, a new settlement funding of more than $2.7 million has been announced for the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society (CUIAS) to assist in delivering settlement services to newcomers in Toronto.

Besides supporting the essential settlement services such as referrals to community resources, advice and guidance, translation and interpretation, and group workshops on the Canadian legal, social, health and economic system, this funding will specifically be used to support (a) specialty language training for seniors and higher level language training, with a focus on writing skills, and (b) a pilot youth program which will include sporting, social, and recreational activities. This will include a new Youth Outreach Worker to provide social services to youth who have been harder to reach, such as Government Assisted Refugees and young people with mental or physical health challenges. This funding is expected to serve an estimated 3,000 people.

These funding for settlement, youth development programs and language training to Ontario are provided under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA) over five years and are part of $1.4 billion package over five years to provinces and territories other than Quebec, which was committed by the Canadian federal government in budget 2006.