The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently announced the allocation of $100 million in funding to the improvement of settlement services for new immigrants. This funding will be provided through the Service Delivery Improvement Program (SDI).
The SDI was launched in 2017 to develop new and unique approaches in an effort to improve the settlement services provided to new immigrants, including assessment, information, language training, employment based services and community integration. Every 3 years, the SDI nominates new areas of study and provides funding to those projects for up to 3 years.
In 2020, the IRCC nominated 78 projects for funding. These projects will evaluate the effect of the pandemic on the settlement sector to develop better strategies for the integration of newcomers.
What Are Settlement Services?
The Government of Canada offers settlement services for all new immigrants arriving in the country as economic immigrants, family sponsors, or refugees and protected persons. These services help the newcomers overcome certain challenges that come with adapting to the new country. These services include assistance with finding a job, learning English or French and helping them integrate into Canadian society.