Ottawa, January 22, 2019 – Colleges and Institutes Canada’s (CICan) Canadian Immigrant Integration Program (CIIP) was selected to be among 16 service providers to offer future Canadians services as part of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) renewed pre-arrival program. CIIP (also known as Planning for Canada) provides Economic-Class and Family-Class immigrants with in-person and online pre-arrival group information sessions, as well as individualized planning sessions to support their social and economic success in Canada.
The new agreement, announced today at CICan’s offices in Ottawa by the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, is part of a $113-million federal investment over four years to improve services for future immigrants to Canada. This new phase of CIIP represents an $18-million investment over four years, and builds on CIIP’s past success in pre-arrival support services – since its inception in 2007, the program has served over 48,000 newcomers destined to all parts of Canada.
CIIP connects newcomers with a variety of services and supports, including those offered by colleges and institutes, to accelerate their integration into communities and in the workplace. To this end, under the new Contribution Agreement with IRCC, CIIP will continue to operate field offices in India and the Philippines and will deliver online programs worldwide.
The announcement builds on a November IRCC collaborative partnership with Collège La Cité, a member of CICan, to provide pre-arrival services to French-speaking newcomers. La Cité will serve as the primary point of contact for pre-arrival services for French-speaking newcomers heading to francophone communities outside Quebec. Province-specific and other tailored information will be provided by four regional partners.
For more information, consult IRCC’s news release here.
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“Pre-arrival services provide permanent residents with information and settlement support so they can make informed decisions about their new life in Canada and begin the integration process before they arrive. IRCC’s renewed pre-arrival program will deliver consistent, high‑quality client-centered services to people around the world. This investment will allow Colleges and Institutes of Canada to support the needs of newcomers by offering helpful online and in-person services.
- The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
“In an increasingly globalized world, the pre-arrival services provided both in English and in French by CIIP are essential to empower newcomers to successfully integrate in Canada, thus having a positive impact on the Canadian economy. CICan is thrilled to have this opportunity to continue to work with newcomers, helping them to succeed in Canada.”
- Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada’s publicly-supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan’s members add over $190B to Canada’s economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Tel. : 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter : @CollegeCan