A Strategic Apprach t Canada s Settlement Prgramming: Pre- and Pst-Arrival Crinne Prince St-Amand Citizenship and Immigratin Canada Nvember 25, 2014
Newcmers cntribute significantly t Canada s ecnmy and sciety Immigratin is expected t play an increasingly imprtant rle in Canada s ecnmy given the slw-grwing labur frce, aging ppulatin and rising demand fr bth high-skilled and lw-skilled labur. It is anticipated that at sme pint in the 2020s, the number f exits frm the labur frce (mainly retirement) is expected t equal r surpass new labur supply frm within Canada. At that pint, immigrants will accunt fr the net increase in the labur frce. As a result, labur market integratin and retentin f newcmers is, and will increasingly becme vital t Canada s scial and ecnmic fabric. 2
Challenges faced by newcmers Relative earning and emplyment rates have declined in the past decade In 2005, entry earnings fr immigrant men drpped t 63 cents fr every dllar earned by a Canadian-brn frm 85 cents in 1980. Fr recent immigrant wmen, it was 56 cents. (Census 2006). But the emplyment earnings f immigrants cnsistently increase with time. Living belw the lw incme cut-ff (LICO) is increasingly cmmn Recent immigrants with family incmes belw the lw incme cut-ff rse frm 24.6% in the 1980s t 36% in 2005. In cntrast, lw incme incidence fr Canadian brn declined frm 17.2% t 14.3% during the same perid. (Statistic Canada 2011). Literacy skills f newcmers are lwer than thse brn in Canada On average, immigrants have higher educatinal attainment than the Canadian brn but their literacy prficiencies (e.g. prse, dcument literacy, numeracy and prblem-slving) measured in fficial language is lwer than the Canadian brn. Abut 60% f immigrants were belw Level 3 in prse literacy cmpared t 37% f the Canadian-brn ppulatin in 2003. (IALSS 2003).
Canada s Settlement Prgram Canada administers the Settlement Prgram in rder t assist newcmers with settlement and integratin challenges. Its aim is t prvide newcmers with: the infrmatin required t make infrmed decisins; language skills t achieve settlement and integratin gals; assistance in finding and retaining emplyment; and supprt t build netwrks in cmmunities. T achieve these gals, services are prvided bth pre- and pst-arrival, thrugh nline resurces, publicatins, in-persn services, as well as thrugh referrals t available cmmunity supprts. Partnerships with nearly 700 rganizatins allw Canada t deliver prgramming that supprts full ecnmic, scial, civic and cultural participatin. 4
Current Pre-Arrival Services CIC funds three service prviding rganizatins in delivering pre-arrival services in ver 40 cuntries t refugees, ecnmic and family class immigrants apprved fr permanent residency, at a cst f apprximately $8M annually Active Engagement and Integratin Prject (AEIP) Services: - Grup rientatin sessins - Individual cunselling (general, minimal labur market fcus) Canadian Immigrant Integratin Prgram (CIIP) Services: - Grup rientatin sessins - Individual cunselling (labur market fcus) Canadian Orientatin Abrad (COA) Services: - Generalized grup rientatin sessins Lcatins: Suth Krea, Taiwan Target: Federal Skilled Wrkers (FSWs), Prvincial Nminees (PNs), Live-in Caregivers (LCs) Lcatins: India, China, Philippines, UK (serving the Gulf), additinal lcatins via mbile/itinerant services Target: FSWs, PNs Lcatins: 14 permanent sites, prvides training in up t 40 lcatins Target: Primarily refugees, als serves all ther classes f immigrants
Pre-Arrival Settlement Strategy and Expansin f Pre-Arrival Services The Pre-Arrival Strategy CIC s pre-arrival settlement strategy fr immigrants aims t facilitate faster and mre efficient ecnmic and scial integratin in Canada. It effectively addresses needs earlier in the integratin cntinuum and imprves linkages between verseas and dmestic services. Thrugh the Strategy, CIC seeks t increase the number f clients served, and t supprt the develpment and delivery f mre targeted, tailred and effective prgramming verseas. Alignment with Gvernment Pririties: Expansin f Pre-Arrival Services As per recent federal Budgets and the 2013 Speech frm the Thrne, the Gvernment is taking actin t mdernize the immigratin system t make it mre efficient, flexible and respnsive, and t ensure that it supprts the needs f Canada s labur market. The expansin f pre-arrival settlement services supprts this mdernizatin, as these services advance the ptential fr immigrants t arrive in Canada jb-ready and t experience earlier ecnmic integratin. 6
Call fr Prpsals 2014 fr Pre-Arrival Services CIC launched the 2014 Call fr Prpsals fr Pre-Arrival Settlement Services. The expansin f Pre-Arrival Services, with prgramming starting in Fiscal Year 2015-16, aim t: Build n services available in Canada, prviding seamless linkages t dmestic service prviders and ther stakehlders. Supprt the prvisin f targeted infrmatin and supprts tailred accrding t newcmers destinatin, emplyment sectr (e.g. services, trades, regulated prfessins) r by their client type (e.g. yuth, refugees, Frenchspeaking immigrants destined t Francphne minrity cmmunities). Take advantage f a variety f service delivery appraches (e.g. On-line and in-persn). Prvide newcmers with infrmatin t help them understand their rights and respnsibilities, including tls and supprts t prevent family and genderbased vilence.
2014 Call fr Prpsals fr Pre-Arrival Services (Cnt d) Pririties identified under the 2014 Call fr Prpsals: Ecnmic and Other Immigrants On-line and in-persn pre-arrival services fr ecnmic integratin that supprt jb readiness and preparatin fr emplyment, including cnnectins t in-canada partners and emplyers. On-line services are prjected t reach f ver 60,000 ecnmic and ther immigrants ver 15 years f age annually (where internet access permits). In-persn services are prjected t reach ver 15,000 ecnmic and ther immigrants ver 15 years f age. Refugees In-persn services fr refugees t help prepare fr travel t and arrival in Canada and initial settlement challenges; cnnectins t/infrmatin n in-canada supprts. Services are prjected t reach 2,300 refugee yuth (between the ages f 10 and 19), and 6,200 adult refugees (between the ages f 20 and 64). The Call fr Prpsals prcess had clsed n September 25, 2014. New prgramming will cmmence in Fiscal Year 2015-16 as a result f the 2014 Call fr Prpsals
Alignment f Pre- and Pst-Arrival Service Seamless Service Delivery Newcmers receive referrals t dmestic service prviders during pre-arrival services, which culd include: A range f services that facilitate labur market access Language training fr living in Canada alng with wrking in a jb-specific field Settlement Wrkers in Schls which supprt newcmer students and their families in addressing barriers t schl success. Emplyers and regulatrs are supprted in having a greater presence at prearrival, including in the develpment f platfrms and netwrks that directly cnnect them t newcmers. Emplyers in varius sectrs f the Canadian ecnmy have partnered with CICsupprted pre-arrival services and, as a result, have been able t interview and hire newcmers befre they land in Canada. Upn arrival, newcmers are aware f the hst f settlement services ffered by dmestic partners that best serve their particular needs.
Cntact Infrmatin Fr further infrmatin cntact: Crinne Prince-St-Amand Directr General Integratin Freign Credentials Referral Office Citizenship and Immigratin Canada (613) 437-6249 Crinne.Prince-St-Amand@cic.gc.ca 10