1. Update on Canada’s Settlement Program
Draft July 12
Update on Canada’s Settlement Program
Camille Papanek
Integration & FCRO Branch
RCM Integration Seminar
Costa Rica, September 17-18, 2013

2. A quick refresher: Canada’s Integration Programs
Immigration and integration continuum
Our integration partners & stakeholders
Settlement services funding & delivery
Settlement Program clients
Programming that meets client needs
Understanding newcomer outcomes

3. Immigration and integration continuum
MULTICULTURALISM
OVERSEAS/ SELECTION AND PROMOTION
ARRIVAL
CITIZENSHIP
SETTLEMENT/RESETTLEMENT
Pre-Arrival Early Post-Arrival Years Post-Acquisition of Citizenship
Programs contribute to both sides to differing degrees
Two-Way Approach
Society/Institutions
Newcomers
2-Way Street
Foster societal and institutional change to adapt to newcomers
Support to newcomers to facilitate their adaptation to host society

4. Our integration partners and stakeholders
Community associations
Canadian public
Immigrant-serving organizations
Ethno-cultural organizations
Federal government
Social service agencies
Regulatory bodies
Provincial and territorial
governments
Municipal governments
Role of NGOs in Policy dialogue
Educational institutions
Employers
Newcomers
CIC works in partnership with other federal departments/agencies and provinces/territories, and funds immigrant-serving organizations, social service agencies and educational institutions as service providers (SPOs).

5. Settlement services funding and delivery
CIC selects service provider organizations through a National Call for Proposals (CFP) and provides funding through the exclusive use of Contribution Agreements.
In we have 750 contribution agreements with over 450 organizations and individuals.
Most SPOs are not for-profit or non-governmental organizations (77%) but increasingly mainstream organizations are becoming important players in service delivery.

6. Settlement Program clients
Permanent Residents by Category
3 year avg. ( )
Economic Class (see Annex)
165,511
Family Class
60,624
Refugees*
25,140
Other Immigrants
9,259
*Government Assisted Refugees, Privately Sponsored Refugees, refugees landed in Canada and refugee dependants
Canada – Permanent residents by category, 1987 to 2011
Intake of Permanent Residents by Immigration Category to 2011
The program is available to those who intend to stay in Canada:
Permanent residents of Canada
Selected immigrants overseas; and
Persons in Canada who have received approval, subject to an admissibility assessment
Temporary foreign workers, refugee claimants, and Canadian citizens are ineligible.
Source: Facts & Figures 2011

7. Programming that meets client needs
Language proficiency and literacy
Access to literacy and language training services.
Information
Knowledge about living and working in Canada, and how to access mainstream programs and institutions.
Credential
Recognition
Knowledge of the accreditation process, accessing regulatory bodies, connections with employers.
Basic Needs
Securing basic needs related to income, health, housing, personal safety and public transportation.
Skills Development
Skills upgrading, Canadian work experience, soft skills, basic life skills.
Social Connections
Immediate social supports (i.e., families) and diverse social connections with groups and institutions.
Labour Market Conditions
Local labour market conditions, occupations in demand, employer openness and hiring policies, wages and mobility.
Welcoming Communities
Community and institutional supports, capacity of settlement provider organizations and partnerships, and public attitudes.

8. Understanding newcomer outcomes
Challenges
Recent immigrants have consistently low earnings and experience difficulties integrating the labour market (difficulties decrease with time spent in Canada)
Official language literacy of immigrants is below-average compared to Canadian-born (60% of immigrants below Level 3 on International Adult Literacy Survey scores)
Women, seniors, visible minorities and refugees face additional disadvantages and are more vulnerable to poor economic outcomes.

9. What has changed since we last met
Legislative & policy changes with implications for settlement
Settlement governance & partnerships
Current Priorities
Notable new tools & initiatives

10. Recent Legislative & Policy Changes
Immigration: Selection of economic principal applicants has become more proactive to ensure more immediate labour market success and spread the benefits of immigration across the country.
Pathways from temporary to permanent residence: Creation of programs that provide access to permanent residency for temporary residents with work and/or study experience.
Refugee selection: Greater emphasis on resettled refugees and vulnerable groups, and moving towards focused selection (i.e., region, group) with multiyear commitments
Citizenship: Consistent implementation of language requirements and new knowledge test that requires higher official language proficiencies.
Multiculturalism review is underway
Discussion Citizenship - civic

11. Settlement governance & partnerships
Departmental organisation
Federal control of settlement
New partnerships with Province and Territories
Partnerships with NGOs and Stakeholders
Community-Based partnerships

12. Current priorities
Move towards a new partnership model with provinces/territories
Harmonize program delivery by implementing a national platform of services based on identified newcomer needs and responsiveness to regional realities
Ensure our needs-based Program keeps pace with recent changes brought to skilled immigration selection while maintaining focus on most vulnerable clients
Support the integration of internationally trained individuals into the Canadian labour market by working with partners and stakeholders to improve foreign credential recognition practices

13. Current priorities cont’d
Strengthen accountability, improving reporting on outcomes across Canada and informing national policy and programs.
Collaboration is ongoing with our provincial and territorial partners.
Engage existing and new stakeholders to contribute to integration, e.g. employers, school boards, boards of trade, levels of government, professional associations, ethno-cultural and faith-based organizations, community and social services

14. Notable new program tools & initiatives
Needs Assessment and Referrals:
Online bridging tool (Living in Canada Wizard) assists access to services
Information and Awareness
Settlement Information Renewal Exercise
Welcome to Canada
Language Learning and Skills Development Training
Launch of Tutela, a repository and SPO community of practice
Tutela.ca
Labour Market Access:
Educational Credential Assessment

15. Some new program tools & initiatives
Evidence-Based Policy Development
FPT Settlement Outcomes Survey
Qualitative Reporting by Service Providers
Program Development
Best practices in settlement website:
(Examples of programs considered effective for refugees, women, youth and children etc.)
Spend time pulling up examples for women, refugees, youth, children and families

16. Questions? Camille.Papanek@cic.gc.ca Camille Papanek
Integration Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(613)