YMCA SELECTED TO PROVIDE PRE-ARRIVAL SERVICES

January 14, 2019 — Toronto, (ON) — 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, such as how to prepare for finding a job. 

To help deliver these important services, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be providing funding of $5.6 million to the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

Today’s funding announcement is part of IRCC’s renewed pre-arrival services program, which will maximize the social integration of newcomers, set them up to contribute to the economy and help grow the middle class by:

• directly connecting clients with the information and services 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
• linking clients to federal and provincial settlement services in Canada

Quick facts

• Funding for such Providers to 2023 totals approximately $113 million.
• Canada has funded pre-arrival services since 1998. 
• In-person services will be offered in China, India, and the Philippines, along with a pilot project for in-person Francophone services in Morocco.