Newcomers

Newcomers should visit this site to learn more about the services and programs public libraries offer recent immigrants. The "Settlement Information for New Comers" section provides all kinds of information to help you settle and build connections to your new community such as:

• Immigrant Programs and Services
• Settling in BC: Questions and Answers - Q&A to help new immigrants before or after their arrival in BC. The topics include: daily life, driving & transportation, education & child care, employment, health, housing & setting up, immigration & citizenship, money & banking, and the legal system
• English Language Learning Materials
• Useful Immigrant Settlement Guides and Websites - The topics include: settlement, employment, language learning, education, health, refugee supports, newcomer LGBTQ2S+, and BC's First Nations & Indigenous Peoples.
• Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre (SIIC) - SIIC is located in the central branch of Vancouver Public Library and provides useful information to help you find meaningful employment in BC.
• Immigrant Demographics by Community
• 5 Ways Newcomers Can Learn About Indigenous Cultures in BC - Resources to help new immigrants find information on Indigenous People in BC
• 5 Career Mentor Programs to Help You Achieve Your Career Goals - These programs were created specifically to help you understand the world of work in Canada. They can help you learn answers to questions you don’t know you have.

The Newcomers' Guide tells you how to get a Social Insurance Number (SIN), register for the Medical Services Plan (MSP), open a bank account, get a driver's license, find housing, look for a job and much more!

If you have fled from your home country because your life is in danger and you have come to British Columbia to seek asylum (make a refugee claim), this website will help you with information.

BC JobConnect is a customized online tool connecting job-ready newcomers to BC employers. It provides a platform for newcomer job seekers to showcase their skills, education and work experience and presents their profiles and résumés to BC employers looking for workers.

The BC Provincial Nominee Program offers three ways to become a permanent resident in B.C: Skills Immigration, Express Entry BC, and Entrepreneur Immigration. Each pathway contains different categories you can apply under, depending on your National Occupational Classification skill level, job, or international student status.

The BC Refugee Hub is easy to navigate and browse, filled with a variety of information on programs, services and publications related to refugees in British Columbia. The aim is to be a one-stop hub for all information and resources available to better support refugees residing in BC. Created by ISSofBC in partnership with the Provincial Government of British Columbia.

Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants program helps professionals use their skills, training, and foreign qualifications for work in B.C. It also offers financial help to pay for professional training or licenses, job-related language training, assessment of credentials and experience, career planning and coaching, and more.

This is the only official study guide for the Canadian citizenship test.

Discover Canada Study Guide [pdf]  *Hard copies are also available in the library.

How much do you know about your Government? Answers compiled by West Vancouver Memorial Library (based on West Vancouver residence) to the questions on pages 34-35.

Other Study Questions Answers compiled by West Vancouver Memorial Library to the questions on page 53.

Visit the Government of Canada page where you can also read the study guide online, listen to notable Canadians read it, download it as an ebook, or order a copy.

Immigrate to Canada - The Government of Canada's webpage explaining various options to immigrate to Canada: Express Entry, Provincial nominees, Family sponsorship, Health-care workers permanent residence pathway, Temporary resident to permanent resident pathway, etc.

Apply for Citizenship - The Government of Canada's webpages explaining the eligibility to become a Canadian citizen, application process, and the information on citizenship test and interview.

Refugees and Asylum -  The official Refugees and Asylum page is a portal of information for both refugees and those looking to help out. Find out how to come to Canada as a refugee, sponsor a refugee and find refugee services in Canada as well as the information on Canada's response to the situation in Afghanistan,  helping Syrian refugees, immigration measures for Ukrainians, and who’s eligible and how to apply for the measures for extended family in Palestine.

Impact North Shore (formerly North Shore Multicultural Society) is a for-purpose, social impact organization creating opportunities for success for im/migrants and newcomers. They are a registered charity with locations in North and West Vancouver providing services for newcomers and inclusive community building.

Impact North Shore’s Immigrant Service Centre offers a wide range of programs for newcomers and im/migrants:

• Settlement: services include needs and assets assessments, one-to-one visits with a settlement worker, specialized information, employment, and family settlement workshops.
• Employment: services include 1-1 support, workshops, opportunities for skills training and development, and job development opportunities, mentoring programs, and specialized employment programs for youth and women.
• School Support & Youth: school-based outreach program that helps newcomer students and their families settle into their North and West Vancouver school and community.
• English Language Learning: services include Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes, conversation circles, workplace English language classes, and CELPIP testing.
• Community Connections: this program provides you with opportunities to learn about your new community, connect with other newcomers and long-term residents, and discover resources.

Impact North Shore’s Community Engagement projects are focused on building more inclusive and equitable communities through collaboration, education, and dialogue. These projects explore topics such as equity, anti-racism, Reconciliation, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and more.

This non-profit organization has been offering support and settlement services to immigrants and refugees in BC since 1972. Their website is a key starting point for finding information both for immigrants and refugees. Their programs and services include:

• Get Settled - Newcomer services providing support while you and your family adapt to your new life in Canada
• Learn English - Free English classes for newcomers (LINC) and LCC (ISS Laguage & Career College of BC)
• Find Work - ISS's decade-long experience with newcomer job seekers and the variety of quality employment services will help you find success
• Explorer Entrepreneurship - Entrepreneurship programs for newcomers

MOSAIC is one of the largest settlement non-profit organizations in Canada. They serve immigrant, refugee, migrant and mainstream communities in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley as well as throughout the province of BC and overseas via online programs. The programs they offer include:

• Employment Services
• Settlement Services for families, youth, women, refugees, migrant workers, international students, LGBT, and seniors
• Language Services
• Intercultural Competency Training
• Counselling Services
• Interpretation & Translation

The North Shore Immigrant Inclusion Partnership (NSIIP) is a coalition of community agencies and institutions focused on improving the settlement outcomes of new immigrants.

Richmond Public Library has created a practice test consisting of over 100 multiple choice questions (with answers) derived from the book Discover Canada, on which the test is based.

A flowchart of the process to claim status as a Convention Refugee or a Person in Need of Protection. The flowchart shows 2 timelines for refugee claimants in Canada: a refugee claim at a Port of Entry with CBSA and inside of Canada with IRCC.

New to Canada? Find out how to get accredited in your field. Check out the Employment Guides for detailed information by occupation.

The Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre is an online and in-person centre that helps immigrants to find the information they need to explore careers and begin their job search. All of the InfoCentre’s services and resources are no cost and offered by the staff at Vancouver Public Library (VPL).

A go-to resource and magazine for newcomers and international students created by former international students.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: 94 Calls to Action (Chinese Translation)