Websites

• NewToBC: NewToBC partners with libraries and immigrant service providers to develop, deliver, and promote services and resources that support immigrant settlement and integration in communities across the province. 
• Welcome to BC: Offers newcomers and service providers information on a range of topics related to settling and working in B.C.
• Welcome to Canada: A new, more comprehensive web tool to help newcomers settle in Canada.
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC): Provides information about citizenship and immigration to Canada. The site has a section called “Newcomers to Canada” that includes immigrant stories. It also has a section called “True or False,” which corrects myths related to refugees, immigrants, and citizenship.
• Community Health Profiles: Health and lifestyle data from more than 33,000 Lower Mainland adults has been compiled into community profiles to help local governments, community groups, and health agencies on planning decisions and policy development at a local level.
• Immigration Services in Your Area: Interactive tool for helping new immigrant search for free immigrant services in their area.
• 150 Years of Immigration in Canada: This edition of Statistics Canada’s Canadian Megatrends publication looks at historic patterns in immigration over the past 150 years.
• Who Do I Need to Give My Social Insurance Number (SIN) to?: Do not give your Social Insurance Number (SIN) out to just anyone! It is a confidential number. Visit Settlement.org for tips on how to protect your confidential information.
• Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA): AMSSA is an affiliation of more than 80 multicultural agencies that provide immigrant settlement and multicultural services in communities throughout B.C. This site provides settlement, integration and information related to multiculturalism, multicultural health, anti-racism and human rights.
• Safe Harbour – Respect for All Program: Focuses on creating opportunities for businesses, institutions and municipalities to support and celebrate diversity.

Publications

• West Vancouver Vital Signs Report (2016): Periodic check up that measures the quality of life in Canadian communities, identifies trends, and shares opportunities for action.
• North Shore Sea to Sky Vital Signs Report (2016): Vancouver Foundation’s 2016 Vital Signs for North Shore and Sea to Sky was conducted online by 485 residents. This mini report compares the results from North Shore and Sea to Sky with the average response across BC.
• First Peoples – A Guide for Newcomers (2014): This guide provides information about the rich culture, diverse history and experiences of Canada’s First Peoples. It is designed to build a greater understanding between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities.

Websites

• Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program: The Government of Canada is working with Canadians to welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. Find out how Canada is helping Syrian refugees and what Canadians can do to help.
• Ready for My Refugee Hearing: Resource for empowering every person seeking refugee protection in Canada to be as prepared as possible for their refugee hearing.
• NOTICE – Changes to the Interim Federal Health Program: On April 1, 2016, the Interim Federal Health Program was restored to pre-2012 levels of coverage for all beneficiaries. Here is some important information about this change and what it means.
• Syrian Refugee Resettlement: A list of useful resources related to the resettlement of Syrian refugees in BC.
• BC Refugee Hub: To assist and empower individuals and refugee-serving organizations to help in the resettlement process, ISSofBC in partnership with the Province of British Columbia have created this online resource hub. It includes ISSofBC Refugee Newsletters.
• Refugee Health Vancouver: The site provides information on what healthcare services are available in different languages, cultural profiles of some of our largest refugee populations, common medical issues, etc.

Publications

• Information for People Considering Making a Refugee Claim in Canada Entering from the USA (2017): Canadian Council for Refugees’ general information for people considering making a refugee claim in Canada entering from the USA.
• Refugees Work – A Humanitarian Investment that Yields Economic Dividends (2016): A comprehensive, international study of how refugees can contribute to advanced economies.
• Population Profile – Syrian Refugees (2016): Information on demographics and health characteristics of Syrian refugees.
• Supporting the Mental Health of Refugees to Canada (2016): Promising practices towards a coordinated mental health response for refugees settling in Canada.
• From Crisis to Community – Syrian Refugees and the BC Economy (2016): Positive impact of refugees on our communities.
• Caring for Syrian Refugee Children – A Program Guide for Welcoming Young Children and Their Families (2015): A program guide for welcoming young children and their family.
• Students from Refugee Backgrounds – A Guide for Teachers and Schools (2015): This guide is for teachers and other school staff. It has three goals: 1) to provide background information about those with refugee experience; 2) to support all school staff in their work with children and youth from refugee backgrounds; and 3) to offer strategies for teachers working with these children and youth.

Websites

• Housing for Newcomers: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Government of Canada’s national housing agency, provides newcomers with housing information to help them make decisions and find a safe, affordable home for your family. Guides, fact sheets, and videos available in eight languages.

Publications

• Newcomer Housing – Barriers, Needs, and Experiences (2016): An overview of some of the key issues related to housing for newcomers and provides a list of resources for clients.
• Buying Your First Home in Canada – What Newcomers Need to Know (2016): The guide explains a step by step process and includes a variety of fact sheets and tools that cover mortgages, credit report and mortgage fraud.

Websites

• Fair Pharmacare Plan: The Fair PharmaCare plan helps British Columbians with the cost of eligible prescription drugs and designated medical supplies. If you are a B.C. resident who is enrolled with the Medical Services Plan (MSP), register your family to receive your maximum assistance under Fair PharmaCare.
• BC HealthGuide Handbook: Contains Comprehensive information on how to recognize and manage common health concerns. Find treatment options, learn how to prevent illness and when to seek help from a health professional. The guide’s topics are relevant to people of all ages.
• Substance Abuse: Provides resources on the topic of substance abuse with resources available in multiple languages. It includes BC Resources, Canadian Resources, International Resources, Quit Smoking, Alcohol, Opiates.

Publications

• Understanding and Addressing Public Anxiety about Immigration (2016): Outlines and analyzes the factors that can set the stage for public anxiety about immigration and offers policymakers a set of strategies to respond to these concerns.
• Beyond Trauma – Language Learning Strategies for New Canadians Living With Trauma (2016): This guide provides approaches, strategies, and language goals for the English as an Additional Language student who has experienced trauma. There is a teachers’ guide and student materials for each of the three themes which are divided into three distinct units. These units consist of strategies and approaches to support people with trauma. The strategies and approaches offer instruction, things to consider, and activities and techniques to support your work as a teacher in the English as a Additional Language (EAL) profession.

Websites

• WorkBC: Resources for finding jobs and skills improvements. Can also help employers fill positions with the right candidates. Includes reports, publications and statistics on employment in the province.
• Find Your WorkBC Employment Services Centre: This interactive map helps job seekers search for WorkBC Employment Services Centres in their communities. These centres offer job search and work experience placement help, personal employment planning and skills assessment.
• Get In the Know: Provides tools for employers to make their businesses welcoming and inclusive, in addition to other resources for job seekers.
• Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC BC): Provides a list of links to assist new immigrants with finding jobs and developing their careers.
• Technology Registrations Canada: Helps qualified individuals become certified and registered as career professionals in Canada.
• Understanding Workplace Values Around the World: Provides information and tips on how to communicate effectively in a global age.
• Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2018): For the past eight years, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers competition has recognized employers across Canada that have exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs. The competition evaluates initiatives in five employee groups: women, visible minorities, people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.
• BC’s Top Employers (2018): This special designation recognizes the British Columbia employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.
• Mentoring Improves Employment Outcomes for Skilled Immigrants: Found that mentoring improved the employment situations of immigrant mentees, helped them increase their earnings and gain a better understanding of Canadian workplace culture.

Publications

• Immigrant Employment Council of BC – Employer Forum Final Report (2016): The report of the Immigrant Employment Council of BC’s 2016 Employer Forum includes key themes arising from the forum, summaries of presentations and discussions, and recommendations for IECBC and businesses themselves.
• Educational and Labour Market Outcomes of Childhood Immigrants by Admission Class (2016): As a part of the Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series, this study examines education and labour market outcomes of immigrants who came to Canada under the age of 18, when they were aged 25 to 44. The educational attainment and earnings of immigrants who arrived in Canada before age 18 differ considerably by admission class.
• Mentoring Practices in Europe and North America – Strategies for Improving Immigrants’ Employment Outcomes (2015): This report, commissioned of MPI Europe by the King Baudouin Foundation, highlights a number of relevant “classic” one-on-one mentoring practices in Europe and North America, focusing on the role of different initiators and stakeholders, forms of collaboration, methods, and target groups. It focuses exclusively on apprenticeship and business or employment-related mentoring efforts that aim to generate sustained employment. 

Websites

• Caring for Kids New to Canada: A guide that helps health professionals care for immigrant and refugee children, youth and families.
• The Child’s Right – VIDEO: Every child deserves the right to grow into a healthy and capable adult, regardless of where they live or who their parents are. In a world facing increasing challenges, it is essential to protect the rights of our children. By protecting them, we can protect their futures.
• Immigrant Youth and Children: This section of AMSSA’s website provides resources to assist with the Settlement needs of immigrant and refugee children and youth in the Province of BC and in Canada overall.

Publications

• Improving Education for Migrant-Background Students – Migrant Policy Institute (2016): This report focuses on four countries—Canada, France, Germany, and the United States—shedding light on supplementary funding mechanisms targeted to migrant-background students, and some of the key challenges and strategies decision-makers are wrestling with as they attempt to ensure that additional resources are used effectively.
• Students from Refugee Backgrounds – A Guide for Teachers and Schools (2015): This guide is for teachers and other school staff. It has three goals: 1) to provide background information about those with refugee experience; 2) to support all school staff in their work with children and youth from refugee backgrounds; and 3) to offer strategies for teachers working with these children and youth.