Pre-Arrival Services

Pre-arrival services provide permanent residents with information and settlement support so they can make informed decisions about their new life in Canada and begin the integration process before they arrive

Settlement services will be provided to the newcomers prior arriving Canada by the organizations

January 22, 2019—Ottawa, ON—Canada’s immigration program has introduced a key element of pre-arrival settlement services. These services will be offered to the newcomers, covering the refugees, with the information and settlement support they require to make informed decisions. These information and support services is related to their new life in Canada prior they arrive, such as how to prepare for finding a job or choosing a college for further study. In order to provide these essential support services, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be providing funding of $18.4 million to Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan).

CICan is counted on one out of four support service providers that will offer national-level information. Orientation and onward referrals to economic and family-class pre-arrival clients. CICan is responsible for offering online services as well as in-person services in India and the Philippines. Including comprehensive services and specialized supports for specific immigration categories and client groups (such as youth and LGBTQ2S+).

The funding announcement supports IRCC’s renewed pre-arrival services program. Which aims to increase the social integration of newcomers, help them contribute to the economy, and grow the middle class by:

  • Connecting directly with the clients with relevant information and services they requires to go through a proper channelized and seamless process.
  • Delivering pre-arrival support services to Francophones through a collaborative partnership model
  • Providing general, regional and occupation-specific employment services to escalate the job prospects
  • Motivate and encourage the newcomers to apply for job licensure prior to their arrival , in case required.
  • Connecting clients to federal and provincial settlement services in Canada

Quick facts

  • In May 2018, IRCC launched an expression of interest process to solicit proposals for economic/family class and Francophone pre-arrival services. Canada selected sixteen experienced service provider organizations (SPOs) with proven results. And strong partnerships to deliver virtual and in-person services to newcomers, including refugees, around the world before they arrive. These organizations began providing pre-arrival services 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 offering services only to refugees, we expanded them to include non-refugee immigrants in 2001.
  • We will offer in-person services in China, India, and the Philippines. Along with a pilot project for in-person Francophone services in Morocco.