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What are settlement services?

Settlement services help immigrants and refugees adjust to their new lives in Canada by providing assistance to individuals at various stages of the settlement process.

Settlement services can include:

• Interpretation and translation - Newcomers who need help accessing services in English or French can have an interpreter from a settlement agency support them.
• Help filling out forms and applications like:
  • Benefits and Credits for Newcomers to Canada
  • OHIP (health care) application
  • Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
  • Subsidized Housing applications
• Orientation, information and referrals to community programs and services for you and your family.
• General and crisis counselling to help you with the emotional aspects of adjusting to a new life and culture or struggles with stress or trauma.
• Free government-funded language classes for eligible newcomers:
  • ESL - English as a Second Language 
  • LINC - Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
  • CLIC - "Cours de langue pour les immigrants au Canada" is a French-language program funded by IRCC

These services are free and are always confidential.

Settlement agencies may also be called immigrant, refugee or newcomer services. Many settlement agencies have staff who can speak languages other than English. If the agency you go to does not have a program, service or language you need, they will help you find another agency that does. You may be able to access settlement services at your local library or through your child’s school.

It is important to know that agencies have certain eligibility requirements that you have to meet to use their services. You might have to live in a certain area or they may not serve people with Canadian citizenship. It is a good idea to contact them first before making a visit. Some agencies offer intake appointments to help ensure you make the most of your visit. 

You can search for "settlement services" in your area on Services Near Me or call the 211 helplines and ask for the agency closest to you. The Ontario 211 service is a free helpline and online database of Ontario's community and social services; they offer support in over 150 languages. 

For More Information

• 211 Ontario - Search for settlement and other community services all over Ontario.
• WelcomeOntario - A refugee assistance information website created to bring together trustworthy information for those helping refugees settle in Ontario.
• NewYouth.ca - An information and referral website for newcomer (immigrant and refugee) youth across Ontario. Get information about school, law, work, health and more. It is a project of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).
• ServiceOntario - An agency of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services which provides a single point of contact for most Government of Ontario services.