Welcome to Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)!

If you are currently outside Canada and have questions about immigrating to British Columbia, we recommend the following steps: 
 
Contact your local Canadian embassy or consulate for guidance on immigration procedures. 

Visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to explore Pre-Arrival Services. These free services are designed to help you prepare for life in Canada before you arrive.  

Once you arrive in British Columbia, please reach out to ISSofBC. We would be happy to support you with settlement services, language training, employment assistance, and community connections. 
 
We wish you all the best on your journey to Canada.

Thank you for your generosity and interest in supporting newcomers living and working in British Columbia.
 
At this time, we are unable to accept physical or material donations, such as food, clothing, furniture, or toys, as we do not have the facilities or staffing capacity to process and distribute these items.  
 
However, there are many other organizations, thrift stores, charities and foundations that can support immigrants, refugees, and families in need across Metro Vancouver so we encourage you to find and donate to them directly.

If you want to donate food, we can encourage you to donate to one of our community partners, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) which offers weekly food hampers, fresh produce, dairy, and pantry staples for low-income families such as refugees and immigrants.
  
If you do want to support our work you can donate monthly or annually via CanadaHelps below:

ISSofBC welcomes and supports newcomers to settle in their communities, learn English, study, and find work in British Columbia (BC).

We offer free settlement, employment, and language services to newcomers living in British Columbia.

SETTLEMENT services include Canadian cultural orientation, first-language support, guides to access Canadian public services such as schools or medical care, referrals to specialised support, and providing information on the Canadian housing market so newcomers can find housing.

Learn more about our Settlement services here.

LANGUAGE services include free in-person and online English classes at multiple locations across Metro Vancouver. Classes are offered for beginners and intermediate English speakers.

Learn about our English classes provided by our LINC program.

If you want to improve your English quickly, our Language and Career College (LCC) offers short English courses at affordable prices.

EMPLOYMENT services include free services so you can retrain for the Canadian job market, get new Canadian qualifications to restart your former career, or gain new skills to find a job in British Columbia.

Learn more about our Employment services here.

When you find a program you would like to join and are eligible for, you can contact the program directly via email or phone. 

We have offices across British Columbia (including Prince George and Squamish), but you will need to make an appointment before you come into our offices at info@issbc.org 

Find your nearest ISSofBC office: https://issbc.org/locations

ISSofBC services are available to newcomers who live in BC, including permanent residents, refugees, refugee claimants, naturalized citizens, temporary foreign workers, open work permit holders, and international students.

Check our program pages to learn which programs you can join! Each program has different eligibility requirements.

While some ISSofBC programs may be open to family participation, others are not. 

Please check with ISSofBC staff before bringing family members to 
sessions or programs. You can also email info@issbc.org